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Toward a Secret Sky
Shortly after 17-year-old Maren Hamilton is orphaned and sent to live with grandparents she’s never met in Scotland, she receives an encrypted journal from her dead mother that makes her and everyone around her a target. It confirms that her parents were employed by a secret, international organization that’s now intent on recruiting her. As Maren works to unravel the clues left behind by her mother, a murderous madness sweeps through the local population, terrorizing her small town. Maren must decide if she’ll continue her parents’ fight or stay behind to save her friends.
With the help of Gavin, an otherworldly mercenary she’s not supposed to fall in love with, and Graham, a charming aristocrat who is entranced with her, Maren races against the clock and around the country from palatial estates with twisted labyrinths to famous cathedrals with booby-trapped subterranean crypts to stay ahead of the enemy and find a cure. Along the way, she discovers the great truth of love: that laying down your life for another isn’t as hard as watching them sacrifice everything for you.
With the help of Gavin, an otherworldly mercenary she’s not supposed to fall in love with, and Graham, a charming aristocrat who is entranced with her, Maren races against the clock and around the country from palatial estates with twisted labyrinths to famous cathedrals with booby-trapped subterranean crypts to stay ahead of the enemy and find a cure. Along the way, she discovers the great truth of love: that laying down your life for another isn’t as hard as watching them sacrifice everything for you.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published April 4, 2017
77 people are currently reading
3107 people want to read
About the author
Heather Maclean
8 books98 followersHeather Maclean is a Princeton graduate and The New York Times bestselling author and editor of 15 books.
Named one of the '16 Best Entrepreneurs in America' by Sir Richard Branson, she accompanied the adventurous business legend on a 50,000-mile trip around the world, alternately helping improve the lives of others (designing sustainable development initiatives in South Africa) and fearing for her own (rappelling out of a Black Hawk helicopter in a Moroccan sandstorm).
Heather began her career at Disney, where she had the distinction of being the first person ever to answer Mickey Mouse's e-mail.
When not castle hunting in her husband's native Scotland, she and her clan of 3 kids happily reside in Michigan.
Named one of the '16 Best Entrepreneurs in America' by Sir Richard Branson, she accompanied the adventurous business legend on a 50,000-mile trip around the world, alternately helping improve the lives of others (designing sustainable development initiatives in South Africa) and fearing for her own (rappelling out of a Black Hawk helicopter in a Moroccan sandstorm).
Heather began her career at Disney, where she had the distinction of being the first person ever to answer Mickey Mouse's e-mail.
When not castle hunting in her husband's native Scotland, she and her clan of 3 kids happily reside in Michigan.
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May 6, 2017
3.5 stars.
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Toward a Secret Sky by Heather Maclean
Publisher: Blink/HarperCollins
Publication Date: April 4, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
Shortly after 17-year-old Maren Hamilton is orphaned and sent to live with grandparents she’s never met in Scotland, she receives an encrypted journal from her dead mother that makes her and everyone around her a target. It confirms that her parents were employed by a secret, international organization that’s now intent on recruiting her. As Maren works to unravel the clues left behind by her mother, a murderous madness sweeps through the local population, terrorizing her small town. Maren must decide if she’ll continue her parents’ fight or stay behind to save her friends.
With the help of Gavin, an otherworldly mercenary she’s not supposed to fall in love with, and Graham, a charming aristocrat who is entranced with her, Maren races against the clock and around the country from palatial estates with twisted labyrinths to famous cathedrals with booby-trapped subterranean crypts to stay ahead of the enemy and find a cure. Along the way, she discovers the great truth of love: that laying down your life for another isn’t as hard as watching them sacrifice everything for you.
What I Liked:
It's been quite some time since I read a YA angels/demons type of story. Years ago, there were plenty of them, and I read many of those books/series, and I got sick of them. I'm honestly not into the whole angels theme. But sometimes an author will surprise me. I'm going to be honest - this book surprised me. I didn't realize that it was an angels/demons type of paranormal story until after I received a galley, so my expectations fell a little, when discovering that. But I found that I enjoyed the book! I really hope there will be at least one more to follow.
Maren Hamilton never thought she'd meet her father's parents, let alone live with them. She never knew her father, and her mother recently died, and Maren has no one else to turn to. Moving to Aviemore, Scotland is a huge adjustment... especially when Maren discovers that both her mother and her father worked for a secret organization tasked with fighting demons. Demons are real, and so are humans who fight them - and angels are real too, which Maren pleasantly discovers. But things aren't quite pleasant in Aviemore, with demons poisoning humans with something deadly. Maren and her handsome Gaelic tutor Gavin must find the antidote, following Maren's mother's clues, before someone dies.
I'm going to start off by addressing the elephant in the synopsis - there is NO love triangle in this book. The synopsis does a pretty slick job of implying the presence of one, right? Well, it is overkill. Gavin is the one love interest. In fact, I think Maren physically interacts (like, talks to) Graham maybe twice? There is nothing remotely triangular about the romance. If anything, the romance is extremely insta-love-y and soul-mate-y, between Gavin and Maren. They fall in love with each other really, really quickly. In any case, there is no love triangle.
It took me a bit to actually feel something towards Maren. She seemed very flat at first. But eventually she grew on me. She is stubborn and insistent and tough, but often a little misguided and irrational. She thinks she can look out for herself, but she definitely can't. She doesn't handle the grief of losing her mother well (totally understandable), and she is so lonely in Scotland. But she grew on me, as she started to interact with others (especially Gavin).
I didn't completely love Gavin - he's a great love interest and an interesting supporting character, but he also came off as a little flat. Maren describes as super hot and dreamy and honestly, she is obsessed with him. But he is a genuinely good guy, and I liked his protectiveness and loyalty. He's definitely someone I'd want on my side, and theoretically, a very swoony love interest.
I love the setting! The setting is probably one of the best aspects of this story. You don't find many YA books set in Scotland, especially with some sort of permanence. I've read plenty of adult Scottish romances, which are awesome. The author has done a very good job of writing the Scottish setting but also crafting this fantasy world within the setting. The world-building is well-written too. This is a very paranormal/fantasy type of story - with angels, demons, dimensions, and something very different about Maren herself...
The first half of the book seemed to deal more with Maren and her grief, her adjustment to moving to Scotland, and her acclimatization to all of the information about angels and demons and The Abbey. The second half of the book picks up the pace, dealing with demons poisoning humans, and Maren trying to find this mysterious place that holds the antidote. Maren and Gavin go to find the antidote in London, in hopes of their hunch being correct.
There is a lot that I'm leaving out (like who Gavin is, who Graham is, what The Abbey is), and I'm doing it intentionally! You'd have to read the book to find out everything. The ending is very heartbreaking and cliffhanger-y, and I really hope there is a second book to follow. Currently there is no sequel listed on Goodreads, but I'm holding onto hope.
What I Did Not Like:
I already mentioned how I thought both Maren and Gavin were somewhat flat, one-dimensional characters. Like, I didn't feel particularly passionate about them? I wasn't 100% rooting for Maren (sometimes I just didn't care), and I wasn't swooning over Gavin. He's cool, but I think there was more "tell" than "show". We keep reading over and over how Maren thinks he is so hot and wonderful and perfect... I would have preferred more swoony scenes between them, or some steamy scenes. There is like, one kissy scene! ONE!
Insta-love, ah! I don't hate insta-love, but this novel is rife in it. Maren and Gavin meet once, and Maren is practically in love with him from that point on. Not lust, not a crush, but love. Which is odd to me? It seemed too rushed and more like an obsession, but it wasn't one-sided. Overall, the romance is cute and I like them together, but the insta-love is so strong in this book.
Also, the synopsis really could drop out Graham. Graham appears a grand total of TWO times in the book (before the climax), and he plays NO part in finding the antidote, or anything. That implied love triangle doesn't exist, and it kind of pisses me off that the author (or publisher) is specifically trying to deceive readers like that. Thank goodness there is no actual love triangle!
The ending! It is so heartbreaking. I'm not a fan, but I can see the author making up for the ending in a second book. It's very "fixable"!
Also, I understand that this book is set in Scotland. But there is no diversity in this book. Write what you want, write what you know, whatever - but this book has no type of diversity in it.
Would I Recommend It:
Yes, but also no. I do recommend this book if you like fantasy/paranormal novels set in modern times in a European country. The author clearly did her research in terms of Scotland and language and history and whatnot. However, do bear in mind that I have no idea if there will be a book two (and the ending is really heartbreaking). This book is perfect for fans of Lauren Kate's Fallen series, or Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush series. Though again - no love triangle. But, this isn't a new favorite and it's not a must-read. I could recommend a slew of other paranormal or fantasy YA novels that are "better" (in my opinion). But this novel was refreshing, cute, and interesting.
Rating:
3.5 stars. I'm rounding up for now. This wasn't a bad novel and I'm glad I decided to read it, even after discovering that it's about angels and demons (which aren't my thing)! I'm hoping this is the first book of a duology or something, because I am completely unsatisfied with the ending, for several reasons. I'd love to see Maren kick some serious butt!
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Toward a Secret Sky by Heather Maclean
Publisher: Blink/HarperCollins
Publication Date: April 4, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
Shortly after 17-year-old Maren Hamilton is orphaned and sent to live with grandparents she’s never met in Scotland, she receives an encrypted journal from her dead mother that makes her and everyone around her a target. It confirms that her parents were employed by a secret, international organization that’s now intent on recruiting her. As Maren works to unravel the clues left behind by her mother, a murderous madness sweeps through the local population, terrorizing her small town. Maren must decide if she’ll continue her parents’ fight or stay behind to save her friends.
With the help of Gavin, an otherworldly mercenary she’s not supposed to fall in love with, and Graham, a charming aristocrat who is entranced with her, Maren races against the clock and around the country from palatial estates with twisted labyrinths to famous cathedrals with booby-trapped subterranean crypts to stay ahead of the enemy and find a cure. Along the way, she discovers the great truth of love: that laying down your life for another isn’t as hard as watching them sacrifice everything for you.
What I Liked:
It's been quite some time since I read a YA angels/demons type of story. Years ago, there were plenty of them, and I read many of those books/series, and I got sick of them. I'm honestly not into the whole angels theme. But sometimes an author will surprise me. I'm going to be honest - this book surprised me. I didn't realize that it was an angels/demons type of paranormal story until after I received a galley, so my expectations fell a little, when discovering that. But I found that I enjoyed the book! I really hope there will be at least one more to follow.
Maren Hamilton never thought she'd meet her father's parents, let alone live with them. She never knew her father, and her mother recently died, and Maren has no one else to turn to. Moving to Aviemore, Scotland is a huge adjustment... especially when Maren discovers that both her mother and her father worked for a secret organization tasked with fighting demons. Demons are real, and so are humans who fight them - and angels are real too, which Maren pleasantly discovers. But things aren't quite pleasant in Aviemore, with demons poisoning humans with something deadly. Maren and her handsome Gaelic tutor Gavin must find the antidote, following Maren's mother's clues, before someone dies.
I'm going to start off by addressing the elephant in the synopsis - there is NO love triangle in this book. The synopsis does a pretty slick job of implying the presence of one, right? Well, it is overkill. Gavin is the one love interest. In fact, I think Maren physically interacts (like, talks to) Graham maybe twice? There is nothing remotely triangular about the romance. If anything, the romance is extremely insta-love-y and soul-mate-y, between Gavin and Maren. They fall in love with each other really, really quickly. In any case, there is no love triangle.
It took me a bit to actually feel something towards Maren. She seemed very flat at first. But eventually she grew on me. She is stubborn and insistent and tough, but often a little misguided and irrational. She thinks she can look out for herself, but she definitely can't. She doesn't handle the grief of losing her mother well (totally understandable), and she is so lonely in Scotland. But she grew on me, as she started to interact with others (especially Gavin).
I didn't completely love Gavin - he's a great love interest and an interesting supporting character, but he also came off as a little flat. Maren describes as super hot and dreamy and honestly, she is obsessed with him. But he is a genuinely good guy, and I liked his protectiveness and loyalty. He's definitely someone I'd want on my side, and theoretically, a very swoony love interest.
I love the setting! The setting is probably one of the best aspects of this story. You don't find many YA books set in Scotland, especially with some sort of permanence. I've read plenty of adult Scottish romances, which are awesome. The author has done a very good job of writing the Scottish setting but also crafting this fantasy world within the setting. The world-building is well-written too. This is a very paranormal/fantasy type of story - with angels, demons, dimensions, and something very different about Maren herself...
The first half of the book seemed to deal more with Maren and her grief, her adjustment to moving to Scotland, and her acclimatization to all of the information about angels and demons and The Abbey. The second half of the book picks up the pace, dealing with demons poisoning humans, and Maren trying to find this mysterious place that holds the antidote. Maren and Gavin go to find the antidote in London, in hopes of their hunch being correct.
There is a lot that I'm leaving out (like who Gavin is, who Graham is, what The Abbey is), and I'm doing it intentionally! You'd have to read the book to find out everything. The ending is very heartbreaking and cliffhanger-y, and I really hope there is a second book to follow. Currently there is no sequel listed on Goodreads, but I'm holding onto hope.
What I Did Not Like:
I already mentioned how I thought both Maren and Gavin were somewhat flat, one-dimensional characters. Like, I didn't feel particularly passionate about them? I wasn't 100% rooting for Maren (sometimes I just didn't care), and I wasn't swooning over Gavin. He's cool, but I think there was more "tell" than "show". We keep reading over and over how Maren thinks he is so hot and wonderful and perfect... I would have preferred more swoony scenes between them, or some steamy scenes. There is like, one kissy scene! ONE!
Insta-love, ah! I don't hate insta-love, but this novel is rife in it. Maren and Gavin meet once, and Maren is practically in love with him from that point on. Not lust, not a crush, but love. Which is odd to me? It seemed too rushed and more like an obsession, but it wasn't one-sided. Overall, the romance is cute and I like them together, but the insta-love is so strong in this book.
Also, the synopsis really could drop out Graham. Graham appears a grand total of TWO times in the book (before the climax), and he plays NO part in finding the antidote, or anything. That implied love triangle doesn't exist, and it kind of pisses me off that the author (or publisher) is specifically trying to deceive readers like that. Thank goodness there is no actual love triangle!
The ending! It is so heartbreaking. I'm not a fan, but I can see the author making up for the ending in a second book. It's very "fixable"!
Also, I understand that this book is set in Scotland. But there is no diversity in this book. Write what you want, write what you know, whatever - but this book has no type of diversity in it.
Would I Recommend It:
Yes, but also no. I do recommend this book if you like fantasy/paranormal novels set in modern times in a European country. The author clearly did her research in terms of Scotland and language and history and whatnot. However, do bear in mind that I have no idea if there will be a book two (and the ending is really heartbreaking). This book is perfect for fans of Lauren Kate's Fallen series, or Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush series. Though again - no love triangle. But, this isn't a new favorite and it's not a must-read. I could recommend a slew of other paranormal or fantasy YA novels that are "better" (in my opinion). But this novel was refreshing, cute, and interesting.
Rating:
3.5 stars. I'm rounding up for now. This wasn't a bad novel and I'm glad I decided to read it, even after discovering that it's about angels and demons (which aren't my thing)! I'm hoping this is the first book of a duology or something, because I am completely unsatisfied with the ending, for several reasons. I'd love to see Maren kick some serious butt!
April 8, 2017
Two the only thing I loved about this book was the stunning cover stars
I see the glorious 4 and 5 star ratings and I wish that I could jump on that train, but I 'm afraid I am at a different station. Teenage protagonist, Maren is sent to live with her paternal grandparents in the Scottish highlands after the death of her mother. It isn't too long after her arrival Maren notices strange happenings and learns of the war between demons and angels that is taking place on earth. A war that her parents were both a part of and one which she is now embroiled in. Joining with Maren and her friends, is Gavin, a guardian angel, and Graham, a classmate. Both of these fellas are head over heels in love with Maren. Of course, Maren is partial to the celestial being with his rippling muscles and looks that send feelings of pleasure through her every time. Trust me, I read about it over and over again.
The main problem with the book is that it relies so heavily on what so many authors have already done. No matter the setting, we have a teenage girl that has to join a fight, cannot see the difference between lust and love, is always involved in a love triangle, and then falls apart when the guy leaves. This book left me quite annoyed and hoping that eventually we can find a YA novel that presents strong female protagonists without all the other generic "crap."
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I see the glorious 4 and 5 star ratings and I wish that I could jump on that train, but I 'm afraid I am at a different station. Teenage protagonist, Maren is sent to live with her paternal grandparents in the Scottish highlands after the death of her mother. It isn't too long after her arrival Maren notices strange happenings and learns of the war between demons and angels that is taking place on earth. A war that her parents were both a part of and one which she is now embroiled in. Joining with Maren and her friends, is Gavin, a guardian angel, and Graham, a classmate. Both of these fellas are head over heels in love with Maren. Of course, Maren is partial to the celestial being with his rippling muscles and looks that send feelings of pleasure through her every time. Trust me, I read about it over and over again.
The main problem with the book is that it relies so heavily on what so many authors have already done. No matter the setting, we have a teenage girl that has to join a fight, cannot see the difference between lust and love, is always involved in a love triangle, and then falls apart when the guy leaves. This book left me quite annoyed and hoping that eventually we can find a YA novel that presents strong female protagonists without all the other generic "crap."
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
October 10, 2017
“If I got rid of my demons, I’d lose my angels.”
----Tennessee Williams
Heather Maclean, the New York Times bestselling author, has penned a compelling YA fantasy book called, Toward a Secret Sky that centers around a teenage girl, who just lost her mother in an accident, turning her into an orphan girl, as a result she travels to the Scottish Highlands to her paternal grandparents' house, where she meets a strange yet very attractive young man, who unravels the mystery behind her deceased parents' true and real profession of helping the good and fighting darkness in the world, all the while opening a new dimension of universe for the young girl to make her believe.
Synopsis:
Shortly after 17-year-old Maren Hamilton is orphaned and sent to live with grandparents she’s never met in Scotland, she receives an encrypted journal from her dead mother that makes her and everyone around her a target. It confirms that her parents were employed by a secret, international organization that’s now intent on recruiting her. As Maren works to unravel the clues left behind by her mother, a murderous madness sweeps through the local population, terrorizing her small town. Maren must decide if she’ll continue her parents’ fight or stay behind to save her friends.
With the help of Gavin, an otherworldly mercenary she’s not supposed to fall in love with, and Graham, a charming aristocrat who is entranced with her, Maren races against the clock and around the country from palatial estates with twisted labyrinths to famous cathedrals with booby-trapped subterranean crypts to stay ahead of the enemy and find a cure. Along the way, she discovers the great truth of love: that laying down your life for another isn’t as hard as watching them sacrifice everything for you.
Little did Maren, a high school teenager, knew that her happy safe bubble of life would soon burst, with her mother's tragic death that left her as an orphan, and that she had to go and live with her deceased father's parents in a small town in Scotland. Upon her arrival, Maren finds that the town is sleepy, cold and very odd, as she comes across a brooding, handsome, mysterious guy named, Gavin, with whom she immediately falls for. And along with Gavin, Maren finds out the real nature of her dead parents's jobs who were tasked to protects the world by fighting off with demons, and that Maren has to finish the last task that her mother was assigned to do, in order to protect the lives of the humans and animals dying off mysteriously. And only Maren can unlock and find the antidote with Gavin, who happens to be an angel. Now everything lies on Maren's shoulders to fight off demons and to cure the world of a deadly sickness, can she fulfill it or will her emotions stop her from taking the risky path, where death is lurking at every corner?
Although the synopsis sounds very much "been-there-read-that" a lot with a teenage brave female protagonist, and a hot brooding male counterpart, yet somehow, this story is pretty intriguing enough that kept me turning the pages of the book frantically, because it involves an edgy adventure through grand cities and cathedrals and tunnels, its like reading a Dan Brown book. Also the fantasy elements are developed so perfectly with enough explanation and reason to justify their existence. For a quick weekend read that involves a bit of fantasy, love and magic, this book perfectly fits the bill, as it will keep the readers engaged till the very end. And not to mention, that stunning book cover will allure and beg the readers to open the book and start reading it.
The make-believe fantasy world that the author established in her book is exquisitely beautiful, believable to the very core and strikingly described with enough details that will let the readers visualize such a universe right before their own eyes where the angels exist. The constantly changing backdrop from Scottish town to the city of London to its old cathedrals are all vividly depicted into the story line and will transport the readers right into those places.
The writing style of the author is articulate and the plot is laced with a mysterious feel to keep the readers allured into the heat of the story till the very last page. Although the story line lacks deep, evocative emotions, yet the teenage and the angels and demons drama will keep the readers glued to the book. Beside the mystery that is not that difficult to predict, the vivid and adrenaline-rushing adventure packed with tension will keep the readers enthralled. The prose and dialogues are okay, and with a fast pace, this book will turn out to be a subtle compelling read for many young readers.
When it comes to teenage fantasy fiction, a love triangle and romantic drama is a must, insta-love turns me off a lot, so indeed, in this book too, Maren and Gavin's faster-than-instant-noodles-kind-love-story is not at all good. Moreover, the characters lack a bit of development, otherwise, the heroine, Maren is a thoughtful, mature and very courageous young lady, who can take her own decisions and can fight her own battles despite of the presence of a hot, strong and muscular dude named, Gavin, whose nature remained a mystery to me till the turn of the very last page. There are few supporting characters who are interestingly etched out and will definitely make their presence felt to the readers.
In a nutshell, this is an engrossing and fun young adult fantasy book involving angels, demons and humans.
Verdict: Subtly captivating!
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Heather Maclean for giving me an opportunity to read and review her book.
----Tennessee Williams
Heather Maclean, the New York Times bestselling author, has penned a compelling YA fantasy book called, Toward a Secret Sky that centers around a teenage girl, who just lost her mother in an accident, turning her into an orphan girl, as a result she travels to the Scottish Highlands to her paternal grandparents' house, where she meets a strange yet very attractive young man, who unravels the mystery behind her deceased parents' true and real profession of helping the good and fighting darkness in the world, all the while opening a new dimension of universe for the young girl to make her believe.
Synopsis:
Shortly after 17-year-old Maren Hamilton is orphaned and sent to live with grandparents she’s never met in Scotland, she receives an encrypted journal from her dead mother that makes her and everyone around her a target. It confirms that her parents were employed by a secret, international organization that’s now intent on recruiting her. As Maren works to unravel the clues left behind by her mother, a murderous madness sweeps through the local population, terrorizing her small town. Maren must decide if she’ll continue her parents’ fight or stay behind to save her friends.
With the help of Gavin, an otherworldly mercenary she’s not supposed to fall in love with, and Graham, a charming aristocrat who is entranced with her, Maren races against the clock and around the country from palatial estates with twisted labyrinths to famous cathedrals with booby-trapped subterranean crypts to stay ahead of the enemy and find a cure. Along the way, she discovers the great truth of love: that laying down your life for another isn’t as hard as watching them sacrifice everything for you.
Little did Maren, a high school teenager, knew that her happy safe bubble of life would soon burst, with her mother's tragic death that left her as an orphan, and that she had to go and live with her deceased father's parents in a small town in Scotland. Upon her arrival, Maren finds that the town is sleepy, cold and very odd, as she comes across a brooding, handsome, mysterious guy named, Gavin, with whom she immediately falls for. And along with Gavin, Maren finds out the real nature of her dead parents's jobs who were tasked to protects the world by fighting off with demons, and that Maren has to finish the last task that her mother was assigned to do, in order to protect the lives of the humans and animals dying off mysteriously. And only Maren can unlock and find the antidote with Gavin, who happens to be an angel. Now everything lies on Maren's shoulders to fight off demons and to cure the world of a deadly sickness, can she fulfill it or will her emotions stop her from taking the risky path, where death is lurking at every corner?
Although the synopsis sounds very much "been-there-read-that" a lot with a teenage brave female protagonist, and a hot brooding male counterpart, yet somehow, this story is pretty intriguing enough that kept me turning the pages of the book frantically, because it involves an edgy adventure through grand cities and cathedrals and tunnels, its like reading a Dan Brown book. Also the fantasy elements are developed so perfectly with enough explanation and reason to justify their existence. For a quick weekend read that involves a bit of fantasy, love and magic, this book perfectly fits the bill, as it will keep the readers engaged till the very end. And not to mention, that stunning book cover will allure and beg the readers to open the book and start reading it.
The make-believe fantasy world that the author established in her book is exquisitely beautiful, believable to the very core and strikingly described with enough details that will let the readers visualize such a universe right before their own eyes where the angels exist. The constantly changing backdrop from Scottish town to the city of London to its old cathedrals are all vividly depicted into the story line and will transport the readers right into those places.
The writing style of the author is articulate and the plot is laced with a mysterious feel to keep the readers allured into the heat of the story till the very last page. Although the story line lacks deep, evocative emotions, yet the teenage and the angels and demons drama will keep the readers glued to the book. Beside the mystery that is not that difficult to predict, the vivid and adrenaline-rushing adventure packed with tension will keep the readers enthralled. The prose and dialogues are okay, and with a fast pace, this book will turn out to be a subtle compelling read for many young readers.
When it comes to teenage fantasy fiction, a love triangle and romantic drama is a must, insta-love turns me off a lot, so indeed, in this book too, Maren and Gavin's faster-than-instant-noodles-kind-love-story is not at all good. Moreover, the characters lack a bit of development, otherwise, the heroine, Maren is a thoughtful, mature and very courageous young lady, who can take her own decisions and can fight her own battles despite of the presence of a hot, strong and muscular dude named, Gavin, whose nature remained a mystery to me till the turn of the very last page. There are few supporting characters who are interestingly etched out and will definitely make their presence felt to the readers.
In a nutshell, this is an engrossing and fun young adult fantasy book involving angels, demons and humans.
Verdict: Subtly captivating!
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Heather Maclean for giving me an opportunity to read and review her book.
Read
January 19, 2018DNF about halfway through.
At first this book sounded awesome. Scottish setting? Yeah! Charming aristocrats? Check. Otherworldly mercenaries? Oh my goodness, sign me on!
It was only when I got this book that I realized that this book was about angels and demons. I'm not too keen on that kind of story but since the author was a Christian I decided to keep reading.
Huge mistake.
All right, I'm going to be brief so I don't have to relive all of the horrid details. But there are some things that I just need to get off my back. One is Maren is seriously a stalker... a really, really dumb stalker. She's considering the possibility that this guy might be a serial killer and yet she follows him into the woods. Alone. Like- WHAT? Also, I don't need to know what the muscles in his calves are doing. I just don't. And after they say they can never see each other again (after knowing each other for a whole day) she's so sad that she sleeps in his shirt so she can smell him...
Also how can a demon have a cousin who isn't a demon? Or a human have a cousin who is a demon? I don't know if this question is answered, I didn't get far enough to find out.
This was me trying to read the book and seriously considering shelving it
Until I realized...
I finally came to my senses and put the book down when a demon was on the roof of their car and instead of dealing with it like normal people... they decided to make out.
Um, nope. Nuh-uh. Sorry but I don't want that.
At first this book sounded awesome. Scottish setting? Yeah! Charming aristocrats? Check. Otherworldly mercenaries? Oh my goodness, sign me on!
It was only when I got this book that I realized that this book was about angels and demons. I'm not too keen on that kind of story but since the author was a Christian I decided to keep reading.
Huge mistake.
All right, I'm going to be brief so I don't have to relive all of the horrid details. But there are some things that I just need to get off my back. One is Maren is seriously a stalker... a really, really dumb stalker. She's considering the possibility that this guy might be a serial killer and yet she follows him into the woods. Alone. Like- WHAT? Also, I don't need to know what the muscles in his calves are doing. I just don't. And after they say they can never see each other again (after knowing each other for a whole day) she's so sad that she sleeps in his shirt so she can smell him...
Also how can a demon have a cousin who isn't a demon? Or a human have a cousin who is a demon? I don't know if this question is answered, I didn't get far enough to find out.
This was me trying to read the book and seriously considering shelving it
Until I realized...
I finally came to my senses and put the book down when a demon was on the roof of their car and instead of dealing with it like normal people... they decided to make out.
Um, nope. Nuh-uh. Sorry but I don't want that.
April 12, 2017
i really didn't expect to like this book so much. it was such pleasant surprise. it does reflect twilight, though the puzzles & world building was a different concept compared to it. yes the romance reminded me too much of twilight especially in the end. but this was such an engrossing read. it seems that this is suppose to be a series & i can't wait to find out what happens next!
January 12, 2019
Characters: Gaven the heroic angel and Maren the damsel (always) in distress.
Maren and Gavin meet:
Maren: He's die-hard beautiful (knees buckle under Gavin's load of beauty. Literally)
Gavin: I'm too important and busy. I don't have time to date you, love.
Maren: 💔
Gavin: (receices a call and gets a duty to protect Maren) Crap! Now I'm stuck with you as your Gaurdian.
Maren: (already in love with him)
Gavin: Come on, I'll show you a place I've never shown anyone before.
Maren: Take me anywhere, I'll follow you to the ends of the world!
Gavin:(in secret place) I love you. I've never loved anyone before and I'm 283 years old.
Maren: I love you too
Gavin: I love you too much, I have to leave you or you'll die.
Maren: No don't! Please!
Gavin: I love you. I love you. I loveyou. (leaves)
Maren: (Devastated; then receives a call) "You want your boyfriend? Come down to angel city and take him. But you must join a secret agency called Abbey as a payment."
Maren: I'm getting Gavin!? I don't care about anything else, I'm on my way!
THE END
For the love of good books DO NOT READ THIS JUNK!
Maren and Gavin meet:
Maren: He's die-hard beautiful (knees buckle under Gavin's load of beauty. Literally)
Gavin: I'm too important and busy. I don't have time to date you, love.
Maren: 💔
Gavin: (receices a call and gets a duty to protect Maren) Crap! Now I'm stuck with you as your Gaurdian.
Maren: (already in love with him)
Gavin: Come on, I'll show you a place I've never shown anyone before.
Maren: Take me anywhere, I'll follow you to the ends of the world!
Gavin:(in secret place) I love you. I've never loved anyone before and I'm 283 years old.
Maren: I love you too
Gavin: I love you too much, I have to leave you or you'll die.
Maren: No don't! Please!
Gavin: I love you. I love you. I loveyou. (leaves)
Maren: (Devastated; then receives a call) "You want your boyfriend? Come down to angel city and take him. But you must join a secret agency called Abbey as a payment."
Maren: I'm getting Gavin!? I don't care about anything else, I'm on my way!
THE END
For the love of good books DO NOT READ THIS JUNK!
July 3, 2017
This took me WAAAAY long to finish this book than I anticipated. boo. There is a lot in this books favor such as the mystery, the setting, the idea of the plot, it was all there…the execution though… not what I was hoping for.
After Maren’s mother dies she is sent to live with her only living relatives. Her deceased father’s parents, in Scotland. I LOOOVED how descriptive the author was about Scotland, it seems the author was well versed in the landscape and people there. The descriptions were well done because I felt like I was there!
Anyway Maren is grieving and has no relationship with her grandparents. But they are kind to her and leave her be. I was surprised how lenient they were towards Maren, maybe that’s cultural. She has dreams and they are vivid, of people she does and does not know and they seem to always come to pass. When she comes across a boy from one of her dreams its…insta-love. And boy does she have it…BAD.
I like Maren and thought she was overall a great character. There wasn’t much in regards to character development and that was okay for me.
As Maren gets to know this guy she’s fallen for, in a matter of a sentence, she learns more about her parents past. When a package arrives Maren has to use her puzzle solving skills to solve mysteries her mother left for her to find.
As Maren delves deeper into the world her mother tried to keep hidden from her it becomes obvious she has some very useful skills and talents that make her quite special. So when people start getting sick it’s up to Maren to find the the clues her mother left her in order to save those closest to her.
The romance is what killed this whole story for me. This had such amazing potential but if I had to hear/read one more time how gorgeous Gavin was I was going to break his face. I cannot tell you how many time I nearly stopped reading because the romance was so obnoxious. I can stand insta-love if it’s done well and has a point to it that keeps me invested in their romance. But this? I think my eyes were ready to fall out of my head from rolling so much. I could not stand the goo-goo eyes made so quickly between the characters. I was dying the whole way through it. Which really disappointed me.
Overall the story was fun and I enjoyed everything else when it didn’t involve the romance part.
Sexual Content: mild/moderate
Language: mild/none
Drugs/Alcohol: moderate
Violence: moderate
After Maren’s mother dies she is sent to live with her only living relatives. Her deceased father’s parents, in Scotland. I LOOOVED how descriptive the author was about Scotland, it seems the author was well versed in the landscape and people there. The descriptions were well done because I felt like I was there!
Anyway Maren is grieving and has no relationship with her grandparents. But they are kind to her and leave her be. I was surprised how lenient they were towards Maren, maybe that’s cultural. She has dreams and they are vivid, of people she does and does not know and they seem to always come to pass. When she comes across a boy from one of her dreams its…insta-love. And boy does she have it…BAD.
I like Maren and thought she was overall a great character. There wasn’t much in regards to character development and that was okay for me.
As Maren gets to know this guy she’s fallen for, in a matter of a sentence, she learns more about her parents past. When a package arrives Maren has to use her puzzle solving skills to solve mysteries her mother left for her to find.
As Maren delves deeper into the world her mother tried to keep hidden from her it becomes obvious she has some very useful skills and talents that make her quite special. So when people start getting sick it’s up to Maren to find the the clues her mother left her in order to save those closest to her.
The romance is what killed this whole story for me. This had such amazing potential but if I had to hear/read one more time how gorgeous Gavin was I was going to break his face. I cannot tell you how many time I nearly stopped reading because the romance was so obnoxious. I can stand insta-love if it’s done well and has a point to it that keeps me invested in their romance. But this? I think my eyes were ready to fall out of my head from rolling so much. I could not stand the goo-goo eyes made so quickly between the characters. I was dying the whole way through it. Which really disappointed me.
Overall the story was fun and I enjoyed everything else when it didn’t involve the romance part.
Sexual Content: mild/moderate
Language: mild/none
Drugs/Alcohol: moderate
Violence: moderate
May 2, 2017
After the death of her mother seventeen year old Maren Hamilton finds herself being sent to Scotland to live with grandparents that she has never met before. Maren's father had died on the day she was born and his parents didn't keep in touch with her mother over the years but now she finds herself stepping into their world with no one else for her to turn to.
Shortly after arriving in Scotland Maren receives some of her mother's things including a cryptic journal that has Maren questioning just who her mother was. As Maren works to unravel the clues left behind by her mother she finds that there is also a world she never knew existed involved including Angels and Demons when Maren meets Gavin, an angel that is now tasked with protecting her. With clues of a secret organization her parents were a part of and the world around her falling into madness Maren finds herself racing to save those she loves.
Toward a Secret Sky will probably not be for everyone as it has a huge case of the old young adult insta-love trope involved. A lot are comparing this to Twilight and I can see the similarities, the young clueless girl who is instantly attracted to the boy she shouldn't be with her having something special about her that has yet to be discovered, just switch out the vampires and werewolves with angels and demons in this.
But that being said I really thought this had a life of it's own if given the chance with the story involving a secret organization and the war between the angels and demons. The story is rather fast paced bringing readers straight into the intrigue of just what Maren's parents had been a part of and did a decent job building a world with angels and demons in it. So if you look past the swoony oh my gosh this boy is hot cheesiness it becomes a fun little story overall. I don't see anything about this being a series but there was plenty of room for the story to continue on and I'd be certainly interested in seeing what happens next.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Shortly after arriving in Scotland Maren receives some of her mother's things including a cryptic journal that has Maren questioning just who her mother was. As Maren works to unravel the clues left behind by her mother she finds that there is also a world she never knew existed involved including Angels and Demons when Maren meets Gavin, an angel that is now tasked with protecting her. With clues of a secret organization her parents were a part of and the world around her falling into madness Maren finds herself racing to save those she loves.
Toward a Secret Sky will probably not be for everyone as it has a huge case of the old young adult insta-love trope involved. A lot are comparing this to Twilight and I can see the similarities, the young clueless girl who is instantly attracted to the boy she shouldn't be with her having something special about her that has yet to be discovered, just switch out the vampires and werewolves with angels and demons in this.
But that being said I really thought this had a life of it's own if given the chance with the story involving a secret organization and the war between the angels and demons. The story is rather fast paced bringing readers straight into the intrigue of just what Maren's parents had been a part of and did a decent job building a world with angels and demons in it. So if you look past the swoony oh my gosh this boy is hot cheesiness it becomes a fun little story overall. I don't see anything about this being a series but there was plenty of room for the story to continue on and I'd be certainly interested in seeing what happens next.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
March 23, 2017
review to come
August 7, 2017
The author sent me a copy of this book, so I feel bad for disliking, but I just wish American authors would do more research and have a few Scots read their books before they are published.
Though I gave it two stars the book did have an interesting plot, although I wished it had focused more on one large story rather than jumping around. There were some lovely atmospheric moments throughout the book which I really enjoyed, and I did appreciate the Scottish setting. Perhaps someone from outside of Scotland would enjoy this book more as they wouldn't notice the inconsistencies etc that I did.
I unfortunately didn't like the main character Maren. I know that she was acclimatising to a new country, but it read like she was just taking the piss out of everything. She was very judgemental, often for very little reason. I liked Maren more when she was with her friends, but when she was with the love interest... no. She literally hit the deck when he appeared out of the forest (you guessed it) in a kilt. After that I just couldn't take it seriously (though I must admit I am never the biggest insta-love fan). The romance reminded me of Twilight (creepy 280ish year old guy basically stalking the girl who loves him from day 1), then I saw that the author was inspired by Twilight so I should have expected that.
This book was filled with Scottish stereotypes, and not in a good way. The author had warned me that Maren was a little judgemental of Scottish food at the start but it was very annoying, almost insulting, the way she judged every single thing. The main character honestly acted like she'd landed on Mars. It almost felt like the character was written as a stereotypical sheltered American, feeling the need to point out every little word difference like biscuit instead of cookie or the way Thames is pronounced Tems. It was so frustrating and made me wonder why the book was even set in Scotland if everything is so strange.
"Even the “normal” food in Scotland wasn’t normal. French fries, which were called “chips”, looked like the fries back home, but instead of being crispy and yummy, they were soggy and not."
Just... am I angry & defensive over chips right now? Yes.
Though the author mentions that her husband is Scottish (so I presume has read the book) I wish she'd had more Scottish readers to correct inconsistencies. For example: high school students talking about third grade, their grade point average and getting extra credit? None of these things exist here. There were quite a few Americanisms as well, with Scottish characters saying things like "holler." I may be being harsh, but it really pulled me out of the story. It's something that could have been easily avoided.
Though this book was set in Scotland for a while, the plot focused on angels and demons (which I must admit I am not the biggest fan of.) I could tell while reading it that the author is Christian (or at least religious in some way) so it felt a little preachy at times. The book included jinn, which are from Arabic & Islamic mythology, rather than something from Scottish folklore which I found odd. I didn't quite feel it fit the setting as the name was simply used.
There were quite a few moments when the author used abelist terms. I can understand occasionally calling something / somehow "crazy" without thinking, but it was used a lot. She also made some comments about "insane asylums" and someone joking that they were "Special Ed" which made me cringe. Comments like that add nothing to the story and likely hurt people, so that was disappointing to see.
I was excited going into this book and I really wish I could have enjoyed it, unfortunately I think it was written for American audiences who would not notice mistakes. Thank you to the author for sending me a copy and being so lovely, I feel bad for not loving it!
Though I gave it two stars the book did have an interesting plot, although I wished it had focused more on one large story rather than jumping around. There were some lovely atmospheric moments throughout the book which I really enjoyed, and I did appreciate the Scottish setting. Perhaps someone from outside of Scotland would enjoy this book more as they wouldn't notice the inconsistencies etc that I did.
I unfortunately didn't like the main character Maren. I know that she was acclimatising to a new country, but it read like she was just taking the piss out of everything. She was very judgemental, often for very little reason. I liked Maren more when she was with her friends, but when she was with the love interest... no. She literally hit the deck when he appeared out of the forest (you guessed it) in a kilt. After that I just couldn't take it seriously (though I must admit I am never the biggest insta-love fan). The romance reminded me of Twilight (creepy 280ish year old guy basically stalking the girl who loves him from day 1), then I saw that the author was inspired by Twilight so I should have expected that.
This book was filled with Scottish stereotypes, and not in a good way. The author had warned me that Maren was a little judgemental of Scottish food at the start but it was very annoying, almost insulting, the way she judged every single thing. The main character honestly acted like she'd landed on Mars. It almost felt like the character was written as a stereotypical sheltered American, feeling the need to point out every little word difference like biscuit instead of cookie or the way Thames is pronounced Tems. It was so frustrating and made me wonder why the book was even set in Scotland if everything is so strange.
"Even the “normal” food in Scotland wasn’t normal. French fries, which were called “chips”, looked like the fries back home, but instead of being crispy and yummy, they were soggy and not."
Just... am I angry & defensive over chips right now? Yes.
Though the author mentions that her husband is Scottish (so I presume has read the book) I wish she'd had more Scottish readers to correct inconsistencies. For example: high school students talking about third grade, their grade point average and getting extra credit? None of these things exist here. There were quite a few Americanisms as well, with Scottish characters saying things like "holler." I may be being harsh, but it really pulled me out of the story. It's something that could have been easily avoided.
Though this book was set in Scotland for a while, the plot focused on angels and demons (which I must admit I am not the biggest fan of.) I could tell while reading it that the author is Christian (or at least religious in some way) so it felt a little preachy at times. The book included jinn, which are from Arabic & Islamic mythology, rather than something from Scottish folklore which I found odd. I didn't quite feel it fit the setting as the name was simply used.
There were quite a few moments when the author used abelist terms. I can understand occasionally calling something / somehow "crazy" without thinking, but it was used a lot. She also made some comments about "insane asylums" and someone joking that they were "Special Ed" which made me cringe. Comments like that add nothing to the story and likely hurt people, so that was disappointing to see.
I was excited going into this book and I really wish I could have enjoyed it, unfortunately I think it was written for American audiences who would not notice mistakes. Thank you to the author for sending me a copy and being so lovely, I feel bad for not loving it!
May 26, 2017
Toward a Secret Sky was a book that sounded extremely promising to me. I was so excited to dive into a paranormal book with mystery, action, spies, and romance. Unfortunately, I felt like this book did not deliver on all those aspects.
My favorite thing about this book was the setting. I love Scotland, and I was so excited to read a book set in Scotland. The author did a fantastic job at describing Scotland. I felt like I was transported there! I really appreciated how much work the author put into the setting of this book. I thought the paranormal world the author created was interesting and fun to learn about. The world she created added a lot of mystery and excitement to the story. I also was not expecting how emotional this book was going to be, so I applaud the author for not being afraid to make some heartbreaking choices while writing this book.
I am a HUGE fan of romance, but the romance in this book didn't really do it for me. This romance had a big case of insta-love. I mean, Maren basically fainted when she first saw Gavin and she CONSTANTLY thought about how hot he was.
The romance felt extremely fast paced. The moments that were supposed to make me swoon actually felt just out of place and cheesy because I couldn't believe the connection between Maren and Gavin. The romance took away from the parts of the plot that I actually found very interesting. I started to get bored with the book because I wanted to get back to the paranormal world instead of reading about how gorgeous Gavin was. I am hoping that the future books will slow down the pace of the romance and have it on the back burner so the author can really showcase the intriguing world she created.
The ending of this book set up for an intriguing new plot development, so it should be interesting to see how the author deals with that in the next book. Even though I didn't love this book, I think this book would be great for a younger reader who is looking for a new paranormal romance.
2 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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My favorite thing about this book was the setting. I love Scotland, and I was so excited to read a book set in Scotland. The author did a fantastic job at describing Scotland. I felt like I was transported there! I really appreciated how much work the author put into the setting of this book. I thought the paranormal world the author created was interesting and fun to learn about. The world she created added a lot of mystery and excitement to the story. I also was not expecting how emotional this book was going to be, so I applaud the author for not being afraid to make some heartbreaking choices while writing this book.
I am a HUGE fan of romance, but the romance in this book didn't really do it for me. This romance had a big case of insta-love. I mean, Maren basically fainted when she first saw Gavin and she CONSTANTLY thought about how hot he was.
The romance felt extremely fast paced. The moments that were supposed to make me swoon actually felt just out of place and cheesy because I couldn't believe the connection between Maren and Gavin. The romance took away from the parts of the plot that I actually found very interesting. I started to get bored with the book because I wanted to get back to the paranormal world instead of reading about how gorgeous Gavin was. I am hoping that the future books will slow down the pace of the romance and have it on the back burner so the author can really showcase the intriguing world she created.
The ending of this book set up for an intriguing new plot development, so it should be interesting to see how the author deals with that in the next book. Even though I didn't love this book, I think this book would be great for a younger reader who is looking for a new paranormal romance.
2 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
December 16, 2023
This book was so much fun!
I loved that it was set in Scotland, so mystical and fascinating, which fit the atmosphere of the story perfectly. I loved all the little puzzles that Maren had to solve throughout.
This had all the markers of a great paranormal romance: Freaky accidents, gnarly demons, and forbidden love.
Can't wait for the sequel.
I loved that it was set in Scotland, so mystical and fascinating, which fit the atmosphere of the story perfectly. I loved all the little puzzles that Maren had to solve throughout.
This had all the markers of a great paranormal romance: Freaky accidents, gnarly demons, and forbidden love.
Can't wait for the sequel.
March 22, 2017
Release date 04/04/2017.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
We are at war. Anyone who tells you differently is lying.
We follow the story of Maren, a seventeen-year-old girl, whom recently lost her mother to a mysterious death. Having no immediate family left, she moves to Scotland, and lives with her estranged grandparents. From the beginning, we know that something otherworldly is at work. Strange dreams of premonitions assault Maren, and to her horror, come true.
Just when she thinks things can't get stranger, she happens upon a gorgeous man in the woods, The enduring stranger pulls Maren out of the foreboding shadow of her mother's death, and reinvigorates her curiosity. However, the undeniable and budding chemistry between them is forbidden.
As events ensue, death and chaos, wrought by the hands of demons, descends upon the small Scottish town. With the protective Gavin watching over her, Maven discovers mysteries about her parents' pasts, and unravels secrets of her own, in the battle between good and evil.
---------------------------------------------
I shouldn't say I was quite surprised with liking this book, because it interested me from the get-go. I will say that I was pleasantly surprised with how well it was written, and how enjoyable it was. I do feel it could have been a 500+ pager, as there were areas that were skimmed over, rather than discussed in detail. For many people, the information given may satiate their appetite for detail. I, however, am a detail hog, and felt that those bothersome areas should have been explored further. I could thoroughly dissect these areas, but will refrain to keep the spoilers at a minimum.
The overall pace of the read was steady. At times, I felt it to be rushed and choppy. There were several scenes which could have transitioned into the next more coherently. By no means am I saying the writing was bad, it is just a product of the fact that more was needed to make those transitions happen more smoothly.
Character Breakdown:
Maren: Along with her insta-love for Gavin, I had some issues with her character. She was relatively consistent when considering her emotions, and I felt for her at times. But her role changes drastically, and somewhat unrealistically at times. This is one of those areas where I believe the author could have gone into (much) more detail, in explaining more about her backstory, and how certain traits came to be. But, we must make due with what we are given. Almost immediately, we know there is something special about her because of the prophetic dreams she experiences. Then, the fact that she meets, and mutually falls in love with her guardian angel only increases her odds. However cliche the "unique" and "special" heroine is in today's young adult fantasy genre, it is a necessary attribute to when considering what is needed for Maren to overcome.
Gavin: A drop-dead gorgeous angel warrior? I tend to think of angels (especially warriors) as, well...terrifying? Call me a traditionalist. Anyways, I don't have much to say about him. He's kind, thoughtful, and predicatively protective. Out of his love for Maven, he pushes boundaries and risks everything for her safety: everything a guardian angel should do, and more.
Graham: I didn't foresee his role once he came on the scene--that's all I will say. I believe I enjoyed his character most, and the lesson that accompanied him:
*One recommendation, don't get too attached to characters.
The ending is left open, setting the scene for a definite sequel. I'm looking forward to the next installment, to know how the tale ensues between Maren and Gavin.
(Unrelated and personal side note: I really wish something other than Maman had been featured as a significant symbol. I have a hard enough time just seeing spiders. I don't need them in my books, too.)
Vulgarity: none (YAY!)
Sexual content: some - We are discussing virginity-stealing demons here.
Drugs: Date rape drug is used for obvious intentions, but nothing more than that.
3.5 stars.
This review can also be viewed on my blog: She's Going Book Crazy
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
We are at war. Anyone who tells you differently is lying.
We follow the story of Maren, a seventeen-year-old girl, whom recently lost her mother to a mysterious death. Having no immediate family left, she moves to Scotland, and lives with her estranged grandparents. From the beginning, we know that something otherworldly is at work. Strange dreams of premonitions assault Maren, and to her horror, come true.
Just when she thinks things can't get stranger, she happens upon a gorgeous man in the woods, The enduring stranger pulls Maren out of the foreboding shadow of her mother's death, and reinvigorates her curiosity. However, the undeniable and budding chemistry between them is forbidden.
As events ensue, death and chaos, wrought by the hands of demons, descends upon the small Scottish town. With the protective Gavin watching over her, Maven discovers mysteries about her parents' pasts, and unravels secrets of her own, in the battle between good and evil.
---------------------------------------------
I shouldn't say I was quite surprised with liking this book, because it interested me from the get-go. I will say that I was pleasantly surprised with how well it was written, and how enjoyable it was. I do feel it could have been a 500+ pager, as there were areas that were skimmed over, rather than discussed in detail. For many people, the information given may satiate their appetite for detail. I, however, am a detail hog, and felt that those bothersome areas should have been explored further. I could thoroughly dissect these areas, but will refrain to keep the spoilers at a minimum.
The overall pace of the read was steady. At times, I felt it to be rushed and choppy. There were several scenes which could have transitioned into the next more coherently. By no means am I saying the writing was bad, it is just a product of the fact that more was needed to make those transitions happen more smoothly.
Character Breakdown:
Maren: Along with her insta-love for Gavin, I had some issues with her character. She was relatively consistent when considering her emotions, and I felt for her at times. But her role changes drastically, and somewhat unrealistically at times. This is one of those areas where I believe the author could have gone into (much) more detail, in explaining more about her backstory, and how certain traits came to be. But, we must make due with what we are given. Almost immediately, we know there is something special about her because of the prophetic dreams she experiences. Then, the fact that she meets, and mutually falls in love with her guardian angel only increases her odds. However cliche the "unique" and "special" heroine is in today's young adult fantasy genre, it is a necessary attribute to when considering what is needed for Maren to overcome.
Gavin: A drop-dead gorgeous angel warrior? I tend to think of angels (especially warriors) as, well...terrifying? Call me a traditionalist. Anyways, I don't have much to say about him. He's kind, thoughtful, and predicatively protective. Out of his love for Maven, he pushes boundaries and risks everything for her safety: everything a guardian angel should do, and more.
Graham: I didn't foresee his role once he came on the scene--that's all I will say. I believe I enjoyed his character most, and the lesson that accompanied him:
*One recommendation, don't get too attached to characters.
The ending is left open, setting the scene for a definite sequel. I'm looking forward to the next installment, to know how the tale ensues between Maren and Gavin.
(Unrelated and personal side note: I really wish something other than Maman had been featured as a significant symbol. I have a hard enough time just seeing spiders. I don't need them in my books, too.)
Vulgarity: none (YAY!)
Sexual content: some - We are discussing virginity-stealing demons here.
Drugs: Date rape drug is used for obvious intentions, but nothing more than that.
3.5 stars.
This review can also be viewed on my blog: She's Going Book Crazy
March 18, 2021
I read this in seventh grade thinking: Wow! What a literary masterpiece!
Nope. Nope. Nope.
I tried reading it again. I really did. I wanted to enjoy the story like I did in seventh grade. But the times have changed. I have read more books and now realize that this book belongs in the firey pits of hell along with Twilight.
Speaking of Twilight, the author put a note in the front saying that this book was inspired by Twilight. (I hadn't read Twilight in seventh grade, but I probably would have loved it.) I could tell this was inspired by Twilight because it took the plot of Twilight. They are literally the exact same book. A teenage girl falls in love with an 100 year old man? Sound familiar.
I remember when I was reading it again thinking that this reminded me of Twilight, but then I read the author's note at the beginning and understood.
Avoid this book at all costs. Especially if you hate Twilight.
Nope. Nope. Nope.
I tried reading it again. I really did. I wanted to enjoy the story like I did in seventh grade. But the times have changed. I have read more books and now realize that this book belongs in the firey pits of hell along with Twilight.
Speaking of Twilight, the author put a note in the front saying that this book was inspired by Twilight. (I hadn't read Twilight in seventh grade, but I probably would have loved it.) I could tell this was inspired by Twilight because it took the plot of Twilight. They are literally the exact same book. A teenage girl falls in love with an 100 year old man? Sound familiar.
I remember when I was reading it again thinking that this reminded me of Twilight, but then I read the author's note at the beginning and understood.
Avoid this book at all costs. Especially if you hate Twilight.
October 3, 2016
A bit like the DaVinci Code meets some kind of teenage romance novel. I would definitely recommend to anyone who liked Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging, or even fans of the Princess Diaries. Having grown up in Scotland, I spent quite a bit of time in Aviemore, and so it was interesting to read another perspective about a part of my home that I love so much, but that's just a bit of a personal scruple when the book is fantastic overall, and I have absolutely no reason to be picky! Ignore my whining, Maclean! You've done a fantastic job!
Also that cover is phenomenal.
Also that cover is phenomenal.
April 5, 2017
Lots of comparisons have been made about this book - "Da Vinci Code," "Twilight," etc. But I don't think that's fair to "Toward A Secret Sky." Because this book is a charming, scary, romantic, tale all in one.
Readers looking for a nice YA beach/rainy day read with a bit of a twist, look no further.
Maren's mother has just died (her father long passed) and now she's been sent to Scotland to live with her grandparents. As she settles in to life in the Highlands, she discovers that her parents or anything but boring computer nerds, like she thought. They were members of a secret organization which helps protect the world from demons, with the help of angels. And Maren has met her very first angel (a total hottie). While she is digesting all of this, her new hometown is in trouble plagued by a mysterious illness which causes people and animals to go insane. Karen sets off to save her friends and family, while trying to make sense of her new reality.
This book was a cute, fun read that was just a great time from start to finish. The setting is amazing and even though the storyline contains some very serious and at times pretty scary components you'll find yourself laughing, sighing, etc., right along with Maren.
And Maren really is a great heroine. She is sassy, but vulnerable in a relatable way. She isn't some lofty, supermodel who catches the hunky guy - she goes through so much and comes out unsure of the right way to do things. She's not perfect, and I liked her more for that.
Also, I like the potential for more stories in the future. Heather Maclean sets up the story so that it can continue on in tons of amazing locations and situations - Istanbul, Paris, Rome, Shanghai, etc. There's so much ore out there waiting to be explored in this new world.
Speaking of which - my only complaint is that the book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger! Now I have to wait to continue this story! But I'll definitely be back, and I recommend getting started reading this book to catch up!
Readers looking for a nice YA beach/rainy day read with a bit of a twist, look no further.
Maren's mother has just died (her father long passed) and now she's been sent to Scotland to live with her grandparents. As she settles in to life in the Highlands, she discovers that her parents or anything but boring computer nerds, like she thought. They were members of a secret organization which helps protect the world from demons, with the help of angels. And Maren has met her very first angel (a total hottie). While she is digesting all of this, her new hometown is in trouble plagued by a mysterious illness which causes people and animals to go insane. Karen sets off to save her friends and family, while trying to make sense of her new reality.
This book was a cute, fun read that was just a great time from start to finish. The setting is amazing and even though the storyline contains some very serious and at times pretty scary components you'll find yourself laughing, sighing, etc., right along with Maren.
And Maren really is a great heroine. She is sassy, but vulnerable in a relatable way. She isn't some lofty, supermodel who catches the hunky guy - she goes through so much and comes out unsure of the right way to do things. She's not perfect, and I liked her more for that.
Also, I like the potential for more stories in the future. Heather Maclean sets up the story so that it can continue on in tons of amazing locations and situations - Istanbul, Paris, Rome, Shanghai, etc. There's so much ore out there waiting to be explored in this new world.
Speaking of which - my only complaint is that the book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger! Now I have to wait to continue this story! But I'll definitely be back, and I recommend getting started reading this book to catch up!
October 16, 2016
~This book is set to release April 4th 2017~
I received this arc via netgalley and the publisher for an honest review
Lets get going!
Official rating is 3.5
Toward a Secret Sky is about Maren who is sent to live with her grandparents in Scotland after the death of her mother. She is given a journal that was her mother's full of words and drawings she doesn't understand, and it's her journey to deciphering it and this world she had no idea her parents were a part of.
This story is described as twilight meets Dan Brown and that is spot on! So if you like either one even a little bit I would give this a chance.
Setting and world building 4/5:
Now I'm not very knowledgeable on Scotland so I think that helped in my enjoyment of the world because I had no idea if it was accurate or not, so that might bother some people if it's not but again I wouldn't know haha . We spend most of our time in Scotland and England. I don't know if this is a major spoiler but with it being described like twilight I should mention that we are dealing with angels and demons. Paranormal is my jam so everything just flowed well and I easily fell into the story, most of my problems have to do with plot and characters which I will get into. Also for world building we are introduced to the secret organization Maren's parents were apart of. We get just enough information to know how it basically works and form this world and we are also left wanting to dig deeper and get more.
Plot 3/5:
The plot fell flat for me. I was all for the story for about 55% then something happened I'm not sure what but stuff started happening so quickly I would have love a little more flushing out. I made several notes when I reading the second half that all say "this should be expanded" or "that should have been flushed out more" and one memorable note that said "twilight shit" and nothing else.(I'm so great at taking notes in review books lol) like I said I was totally into this world, it worked for me, but when characters change personality and direction of the story out of nowhere usually after insta-love sets in like in this case I'm not a fan. There are a couple other plot things that didn't work for me but spoilers and the words are just not coming sorry.
Characters 3/5:
Maren: she was so interesting! I especially liked when she was working out puzzles, and when she would get the random information memories. I would love to see a sequel and see her really grow. My only gripe is the insta-love girl! when Gavin was mean to you the second time you even met him you were talking about feelings!
Gavin: I really loved him in the first half but the insta-love made him weak he knows all the risks and what happens if they get caught, no amount of fighting bad ass skills he has makes up for it, he is mush when it comes to Maren and that could get him killed. That sounded like I hate him I don't, Id love a novella or something of him before Maren.
Jo: she is so quirky
Hunter: I loved her!
Graham: -_-
Anders: bleh always at least one d-bag
This was a fun quick read, don't let the little things that bother me detour you from reading this. You like paranormal?, you like books set in Scotland?, or maybe you like love stories, this book has that for you. It is also fast paced, mystery and has, puzzle's to solve and a secret organization to keep you guessing good? bad? still questionable. I would definitely recommend.
Okay! I'm just going to put out a small disclaimer. I have come to the realization that I've grown out of the contemporary/romance area of YA. I keep trying and pick things up here and there like this novel and it's hard for me to rate this fairly when it has a lot going for it besides the romance stuff I didn't like.
I received this arc via netgalley and the publisher for an honest review
Lets get going!
Official rating is 3.5
Toward a Secret Sky is about Maren who is sent to live with her grandparents in Scotland after the death of her mother. She is given a journal that was her mother's full of words and drawings she doesn't understand, and it's her journey to deciphering it and this world she had no idea her parents were a part of.
This story is described as twilight meets Dan Brown and that is spot on! So if you like either one even a little bit I would give this a chance.
Setting and world building 4/5:
Now I'm not very knowledgeable on Scotland so I think that helped in my enjoyment of the world because I had no idea if it was accurate or not, so that might bother some people if it's not but again I wouldn't know haha . We spend most of our time in Scotland and England. I don't know if this is a major spoiler but with it being described like twilight I should mention that we are dealing with angels and demons. Paranormal is my jam so everything just flowed well and I easily fell into the story, most of my problems have to do with plot and characters which I will get into. Also for world building we are introduced to the secret organization Maren's parents were apart of. We get just enough information to know how it basically works and form this world and we are also left wanting to dig deeper and get more.
Plot 3/5:
The plot fell flat for me. I was all for the story for about 55% then something happened I'm not sure what but stuff started happening so quickly I would have love a little more flushing out. I made several notes when I reading the second half that all say "this should be expanded" or "that should have been flushed out more" and one memorable note that said "twilight shit" and nothing else.(I'm so great at taking notes in review books lol) like I said I was totally into this world, it worked for me, but when characters change personality and direction of the story out of nowhere usually after insta-love sets in like in this case I'm not a fan. There are a couple other plot things that didn't work for me but spoilers and the words are just not coming sorry.
Characters 3/5:
Maren: she was so interesting! I especially liked when she was working out puzzles, and when she would get the random information memories. I would love to see a sequel and see her really grow. My only gripe is the insta-love girl! when Gavin was mean to you the second time you even met him you were talking about feelings!
Gavin: I really loved him in the first half but the insta-love made him weak he knows all the risks and what happens if they get caught, no amount of fighting bad ass skills he has makes up for it, he is mush when it comes to Maren and that could get him killed. That sounded like I hate him I don't, Id love a novella or something of him before Maren.
Jo: she is so quirky
Hunter: I loved her!
Graham: -_-
Anders: bleh always at least one d-bag
This was a fun quick read, don't let the little things that bother me detour you from reading this. You like paranormal?, you like books set in Scotland?, or maybe you like love stories, this book has that for you. It is also fast paced, mystery and has, puzzle's to solve and a secret organization to keep you guessing good? bad? still questionable. I would definitely recommend.
Okay! I'm just going to put out a small disclaimer. I have come to the realization that I've grown out of the contemporary/romance area of YA. I keep trying and pick things up here and there like this novel and it's hard for me to rate this fairly when it has a lot going for it besides the romance stuff I didn't like.
May 19, 2017
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Toward a Secret Sky is a young adult supernatural romance by Heather Maclean. It has been a long while since I have read fantasy in the supernatural genre. I tend to lean more towards the paranormal side of things and the magic fantasy side of things, but I really really enjoyed Toward a Secret Sky by Heather Maclean. It made me want to find some other supernatural romances to pick up, in fact.
Toward a Secret Sky is the start to Maren's story. And unfortunately, it starts off in the sad way that many YA books do, with Maren losing the last of her parents. Right before she is sent off to live with relatives in Scotland that she has never met, she finds a cryptic note from her mother warning her of danger and telling her to trust no one. Yes, I am so in. The story that follows was very quest like, which I loved. It reminded me a bit of National Treasure and I know other people are comparing it to Angels and Demons/Da Vinci Code, which I can also easily see.
Toward a Secret Sky does feature a love triangle between a friend and an angel. I really really need there to be another book in this series, because I need to see more of these characters. Plus, I do love a guy wearing a kilt. And Given was just simply adorable. I am so interested to see how everyone is going to develop and see where things are going to go. I really enjoyed this adventure. It was a lot of fun, pretty sweet, mysterious enough to be interesting, and an overall really good read. The plot is multifaceted and fast paced. This book was a really entertaining read.
I loved the fantastic setting in Towards a Secret Sky. And can we just take a moment to discuss the absolutely breathtaking cover. It is even prettier in person. The hardcover is shiny and has raised embellishments. I love it so much. (While I was thinking about my review, I may or may not have been sitting here petting the cover. #IsThatWeird?) The character in this one are great, but I found the plot to be the overall winner. I can see Toward a Secret Sky appealing to younger fans of YA books as well as older.
Bottom line: If you are like me, and don't get a chance to read too many Supernatural YA books, check out Toward a Secret Sky. I think you will really enjoy this fast paced, fun read. This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Toward a Secret Sky is a young adult supernatural romance by Heather Maclean. It has been a long while since I have read fantasy in the supernatural genre. I tend to lean more towards the paranormal side of things and the magic fantasy side of things, but I really really enjoyed Toward a Secret Sky by Heather Maclean. It made me want to find some other supernatural romances to pick up, in fact.
Toward a Secret Sky is the start to Maren's story. And unfortunately, it starts off in the sad way that many YA books do, with Maren losing the last of her parents. Right before she is sent off to live with relatives in Scotland that she has never met, she finds a cryptic note from her mother warning her of danger and telling her to trust no one. Yes, I am so in. The story that follows was very quest like, which I loved. It reminded me a bit of National Treasure and I know other people are comparing it to Angels and Demons/Da Vinci Code, which I can also easily see.
Toward a Secret Sky does feature a love triangle between a friend and an angel. I really really need there to be another book in this series, because I need to see more of these characters. Plus, I do love a guy wearing a kilt. And Given was just simply adorable. I am so interested to see how everyone is going to develop and see where things are going to go. I really enjoyed this adventure. It was a lot of fun, pretty sweet, mysterious enough to be interesting, and an overall really good read. The plot is multifaceted and fast paced. This book was a really entertaining read.
I loved the fantastic setting in Towards a Secret Sky. And can we just take a moment to discuss the absolutely breathtaking cover. It is even prettier in person. The hardcover is shiny and has raised embellishments. I love it so much. (While I was thinking about my review, I may or may not have been sitting here petting the cover. #IsThatWeird?) The character in this one are great, but I found the plot to be the overall winner. I can see Toward a Secret Sky appealing to younger fans of YA books as well as older.
Bottom line: If you are like me, and don't get a chance to read too many Supernatural YA books, check out Toward a Secret Sky. I think you will really enjoy this fast paced, fun read. This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
October 23, 2016
I received a free ARC copy from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book. Though there were things I loved and things I didn't like, this is probably one of my favorite reads of 2016.
Maren Hamilton's father died the day she was born. Roughly 17 years later, her mother died in an accident and Maren has just moved to the middle-of-nowhere, Scotland to live with her father's parents- grandparents she's never met. Insert a quirky new nest friend, a ridiculously hot, kilt wearing Scot named Gavin, a crazy homeless man living in the woods, angels, demons, a secret spy organization and a wealthy family the basically owns Scotland, and you've got the characters and plot for an awesome YA novel and series!
Beware the bog.
It sort of felt like there was an insta-love between Maren and Gavin but it was cute nonetheless. I loved the interactions between all of the different characters and wished we got to see more of them over the Maren and Gavin scenes. For an author's debut novel, I am definitely impressed. Cheers to you, Ms. Maclean! I for one cannot wait for this book (and the next one) to come out!!
This book. Though there were things I loved and things I didn't like, this is probably one of my favorite reads of 2016.
Maren Hamilton's father died the day she was born. Roughly 17 years later, her mother died in an accident and Maren has just moved to the middle-of-nowhere, Scotland to live with her father's parents- grandparents she's never met. Insert a quirky new nest friend, a ridiculously hot, kilt wearing Scot named Gavin, a crazy homeless man living in the woods, angels, demons, a secret spy organization and a wealthy family the basically owns Scotland, and you've got the characters and plot for an awesome YA novel and series!
Beware the bog.
It sort of felt like there was an insta-love between Maren and Gavin but it was cute nonetheless. I loved the interactions between all of the different characters and wished we got to see more of them over the Maren and Gavin scenes. For an author's debut novel, I am definitely impressed. Cheers to you, Ms. Maclean! I for one cannot wait for this book (and the next one) to come out!!
November 1, 2016
Toward a Secret Sky was an exciting cross between DaVinci Code and Twilight...religious symbolism and secret codes with forbidden love between a human and an immortal. This was the type of thrilling story I always dreamed of reading when I was younger (way before paranormal romance became popular!). Poor Maren has some tough problems and losses thrown her way, and you can't help but feel sympathetic to her plight. Gavin, her flirtatious and gorgeous Guardian Angel, is torn between love and duty, making their sweet romance adorable and heart-breaking. I definitely want to delve deeper into this world and get to know these characters more!
*I received an ARC for an honest review*
*I received an ARC for an honest review*
October 22, 2016
I didn't want to like this book but I did. I felt like I wanted more character development; did I really care about Maren's mother, Jo, her grandparents...I don't know. But I could not stop reading until the end. I believe that it said this book would appeal to Dan Brown fans and Twilight fans. I have read both. I do not see the Dan Brown connection - there was not enough depth there. But it (for me) definitely had the feel of Twilight. And I could not stop reading till I there were no more words to read.
June 12, 2018
Seventeen-year-old Maren Hamilton's world comes crashing down when her mother tragically dies. She is sent to Scotland to live with her deceased father's parents, who she never met. A mysterious box from her mother contains clues about the secret society she worked for, and their mysteries might prove deadly. With the help of a mysterious, handsome warrior and some awesome new friends, Maren must uncover the clues before the worst happens and another person dies.
This book was all over the place! Hidden tunnels, secret societies, supernatural beings, riddles, mysterious artifacts, portals, prophetic dreams. It's like a combination of supernatural fantasy, spy mystery, star-crossed romance, high school drama, and cultural/historical fiction. Kind of crazy. But I liked it.
Dare I give away one of the "big reveals" that characterizes the majority of the book? (hint, hint: That's my spoiler warning.) There were angels. They were at the heart of the secret society whose goal it was to protect humanity from the demons. It was pretty interesting. I'm not sure how I feel about the angel-human romance going on. I mean, it helps that the angel can become human (forever) in order to be with a human, but it still strikes me as a little wrong. Although I do like the couple together! Also, despite the angels, I'm not sure I would quantify this book as "Christian" per se. God was barely mentioned, even though He was the one the angels worked for. The characters almost never spoke of Him as being involved personally in the affairs, much less the characters having a personal relationship with Him. It seems more like the author liked the idea of angels as powerful, beautiful beings than as them working for a larger purpose and God.
**End Spoiler**
Anyway, I did like the story as a whole. The stakes were high, the adventurous story combinations were unique, and the settings were pretty cool. I liked the friendships Maren made and the relationship with her grandparents. And I liked Maren's spunky attitude.
Still, there were things I didn't like about the story. The "love at first sight with the perfect, hot, unavailable guy." A little stereotypical, don't you think? I also didn't like that there was so much slightly inappropriate stuff, like the almost-incident with the date-rape drug, the inappropriate teen talk, the parties with alcohol, and the Incubus (the term definition will tell you all you need to know). There was a lot of insinuation and some sensuous kisses, but no on or off-screen sex happened. Just, for a supposedly young-teen, maybe-even-Christian novel, did there have to be so much inappropriate stuff?
I did enjoy this YA fantasy novel and am highly anticipating the second book. But maybe make sure you know what's in it before you read it/purchase it for your teens?
I received a complementary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own, and I did not receive compensation for sharing them.
This book was all over the place! Hidden tunnels, secret societies, supernatural beings, riddles, mysterious artifacts, portals, prophetic dreams. It's like a combination of supernatural fantasy, spy mystery, star-crossed romance, high school drama, and cultural/historical fiction. Kind of crazy. But I liked it.
Dare I give away one of the "big reveals" that characterizes the majority of the book? (hint, hint: That's my spoiler warning.) There were angels. They were at the heart of the secret society whose goal it was to protect humanity from the demons. It was pretty interesting. I'm not sure how I feel about the angel-human romance going on. I mean, it helps that the angel can become human (forever) in order to be with a human, but it still strikes me as a little wrong. Although I do like the couple together! Also, despite the angels, I'm not sure I would quantify this book as "Christian" per se. God was barely mentioned, even though He was the one the angels worked for. The characters almost never spoke of Him as being involved personally in the affairs, much less the characters having a personal relationship with Him. It seems more like the author liked the idea of angels as powerful, beautiful beings than as them working for a larger purpose and God.
**End Spoiler**
Anyway, I did like the story as a whole. The stakes were high, the adventurous story combinations were unique, and the settings were pretty cool. I liked the friendships Maren made and the relationship with her grandparents. And I liked Maren's spunky attitude.
Still, there were things I didn't like about the story. The "love at first sight with the perfect, hot, unavailable guy." A little stereotypical, don't you think? I also didn't like that there was so much slightly inappropriate stuff, like the almost-incident with the date-rape drug, the inappropriate teen talk, the parties with alcohol, and the Incubus (the term definition will tell you all you need to know). There was a lot of insinuation and some sensuous kisses, but no on or off-screen sex happened. Just, for a supposedly young-teen, maybe-even-Christian novel, did there have to be so much inappropriate stuff?
I did enjoy this YA fantasy novel and am highly anticipating the second book. But maybe make sure you know what's in it before you read it/purchase it for your teens?
I received a complementary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own, and I did not receive compensation for sharing them.
June 19, 2017
2.75 Stars
OK so this is nothing like what I excepted and the book description doesn't even come close to summarizing it accurately.
Pros- The plot was interesting. Maren's parent died while working for a secret agency called the Abbey. Maren found her mom's journal and tries to unlock some of mysteries within. She has to decide if becoming an agent for the Abbey is for her.
Cons- If the author had written this as a fantasy/mystery, then it was ultimately a fail. This is a romance. A very pathetic attempt at a romance. There was not a single ounce of chemistry between the characters. They were confessing their love before even kissing. The instalove trope was at an all time high. It was so bad I almost DNF the book. The second problem I had was that I went into this thinking it was a mystery or thriller. Nope not even close. It is a book about angels and demons. This is a trope I feel is hardly even done right. The author did make some the world interesting, but it was explored enough. More focus was put on the gag worthy romance than the world building.
I'm not sure who I would even recommend this story too. Maybe someone in their early teens who still swoons at the idea of a hot guy falling love with you just because you breathe air.
OK so this is nothing like what I excepted and the book description doesn't even come close to summarizing it accurately.
Pros- The plot was interesting. Maren's parent died while working for a secret agency called the Abbey. Maren found her mom's journal and tries to unlock some of mysteries within. She has to decide if becoming an agent for the Abbey is for her.
Cons- If the author had written this as a fantasy/mystery, then it was ultimately a fail. This is a romance. A very pathetic attempt at a romance. There was not a single ounce of chemistry between the characters. They were confessing their love before even kissing. The instalove trope was at an all time high. It was so bad I almost DNF the book. The second problem I had was that I went into this thinking it was a mystery or thriller. Nope not even close. It is a book about angels and demons. This is a trope I feel is hardly even done right. The author did make some the world interesting, but it was explored enough. More focus was put on the gag worthy romance than the world building.
I'm not sure who I would even recommend this story too. Maybe someone in their early teens who still swoons at the idea of a hot guy falling love with you just because you breathe air.
April 7, 2017
4.5? Full review to come on Lisa Loves Literature soon.
September 6, 2019
The general story line was interesting, but the main problem I have with it is I can't read one page without this chick gushing about how gorgeous Gavin is. She claims that she isn't one of those shallow girls who only thinks about guys, but she is the EPITOME of the shallow girl. There was so many interesting things going on, her parents were murdered superspies for Pete's sake, and all she can think about is this dude. Let me say that I am Maren's age, and I do not think that way. Another problem with this book is that it's incorporated all these angels and demons, but never references God. The story is senseless if God doesn't exist. We don't need angels to physically run to our defence, we have a Omnipresent God who can be there for us. Plus, angels are basically another species and the idea that a human is uncontrollably attracted to, or "made for" an angel is theologically unsound. Still, the general story had so much potential, I'm sad that it chose to go the way it did.
March 24, 2017
4.5 stars
ARC in exchange for an honest review
3/23/17: Marren has had it rough. Her father died before she was born and her mother just died from a "freak" accident. Shipped off to Scotland to live with her father's parents, she's ripped away from everything she's known and found familiar. She's pretty upset about it until she runs into a gorgeous stranger in the woods by the name of Gavin. Things only get better when she makes an upbeat loyal friend who helps her navigate the perils of high school in Scotland ( read demons, lords, bullies, etc.)
Marren would be miserable if not for her every spotting of Gavin. There's just something different about him. Unwordly. Join Marren as she is thrust into a world her parents hid from her. Marren navigates through the paranormal with a little clumsiness, a little trust, and a lot of courage (also a lot of insta-love on her side.)
Marren started out as the stereotypical YA female who loses her parents and is shipped off to who knows where paranormal community. She instantly obsesses over said hot paranormal mysterious guy who is nice but then is all like STAY AWAY FROM ME IT'S DANGEROUS. Gavin, luckily, does not keep this up for long though, don't worry.
Side characters were adorable if not a little undeveloped. The bonds between Marren and her friends developed out of no where in my opinion (same can be said between Gavin and Marren, btw) and kind of left my head spinning.
The book was interesting but REALLY got interesting around half way through when Gavin and Marren travel to London. All the plot points after are just: BOOM BOOM BOOM. I couldn't put the book down!!
Overall, the only thing really lacking was the relationship between characters. The end of the book set up perfectly for the sequel and I NEED IT RIGHT NOW. PLEASEEEE!!
If you like my review, considering taking a peek and my blog here
------
review to come, but I'll say for now it has been a long time since I've read a YA PR that I enjoyed this much.
ARC in exchange for an honest review
3/23/17: Marren has had it rough. Her father died before she was born and her mother just died from a "freak" accident. Shipped off to Scotland to live with her father's parents, she's ripped away from everything she's known and found familiar. She's pretty upset about it until she runs into a gorgeous stranger in the woods by the name of Gavin. Things only get better when she makes an upbeat loyal friend who helps her navigate the perils of high school in Scotland ( read demons, lords, bullies, etc.)
Marren would be miserable if not for her every spotting of Gavin. There's just something different about him. Unwordly. Join Marren as she is thrust into a world her parents hid from her. Marren navigates through the paranormal with a little clumsiness, a little trust, and a lot of courage (also a lot of insta-love on her side.)
Marren started out as the stereotypical YA female who loses her parents and is shipped off to who knows where paranormal community. She instantly obsesses over said hot paranormal mysterious guy who is nice but then is all like STAY AWAY FROM ME IT'S DANGEROUS. Gavin, luckily, does not keep this up for long though, don't worry.
Side characters were adorable if not a little undeveloped. The bonds between Marren and her friends developed out of no where in my opinion (same can be said between Gavin and Marren, btw) and kind of left my head spinning.
The book was interesting but REALLY got interesting around half way through when Gavin and Marren travel to London. All the plot points after are just: BOOM BOOM BOOM. I couldn't put the book down!!
Overall, the only thing really lacking was the relationship between characters. The end of the book set up perfectly for the sequel and I NEED IT RIGHT NOW. PLEASEEEE!!
If you like my review, considering taking a peek and my blog here
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review to come, but I'll say for now it has been a long time since I've read a YA PR that I enjoyed this much.
June 27, 2017
Please Note: I received an advance reader's copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions of my review in any way.
I am always thrilled to receive advanced readers copies of books, hoping I get to be one of the lucky few who steer others towards their next great read. Unfortunately, once in a while, I have the unlucky task of writing a poor review. I know how hard the author must have worked to get a book published, so this is not something I do lightly. Toward A Secret Sky, by Heather MacLean, is just too full of cliches to be enjoyable, and has a main character who is so focused on a guy's attractiveness, that she seems blind to their faults. Furthermore, there is a truly offense joke toward the end of the book that I found extremely hurtful.
Cliches:
You already know the formula: a suddenly orphaned girl finds out her parents worked for a secret organization that fights demons. The girl meets a super hot guy who turns out is a warrior angel. Will she get into all sorts of dangerous situations where he (or another guy) arrives out of nowhere to save her? Will one of her new friends betray her? Will she and the angel fall in love? I think you can guess the answers to all of these questions.
Characters:
I found Maren to be extremely superficial when it came to boys. Even though she knows Anders (another hot guy at school) is a jerk, she seems all to willing to give him a chance because, after all, he is a lord, and rich, and gorgeous. She also doesn't seem to mind that Gavin is over 200 years old. Doesn't she find it creepy that he's hitting on her? Oh, no. It's okay because he's a hottie.
Although Maren's grandparents did seem like very kind and loving people, it didn't seem to phase them that their son, and his wife (Maren's parents) were secret agents. If they were so concerned for Maren's safety, I highly doubt they would be so nonchalant talking about it.
Troubling "Joke":
As if there weren't enough problems with this book, there is an extremely hurtful "joke" toward the end of the book.
"I don't know, " he said. "At least, I can't put my finger on it. I adore you, you know, but there's something else. Something special about you, Maren."
"Yeah, 'Special Ed'" I quipped.
What the heck?
As a special education teacher, I am seriously offended by this. The students I work with are kind, hard-working, and incredibly brave. They must face the world with challenges this character couldn't fathom. Making this joke is why parents often refuse support services for their kids. They don't want their child to have the 'Special Ed' label. Why perpetuate this stigma? This has no place in books, particularly from a main character the reader is supposed to admire.
I have contacted the publisher, and asked that they review this section of the book. I really hope they listen and take this out of further editions. It was unnecessary, and cruel.
I am always thrilled to receive advanced readers copies of books, hoping I get to be one of the lucky few who steer others towards their next great read. Unfortunately, once in a while, I have the unlucky task of writing a poor review. I know how hard the author must have worked to get a book published, so this is not something I do lightly. Toward A Secret Sky, by Heather MacLean, is just too full of cliches to be enjoyable, and has a main character who is so focused on a guy's attractiveness, that she seems blind to their faults. Furthermore, there is a truly offense joke toward the end of the book that I found extremely hurtful.
Cliches:
You already know the formula: a suddenly orphaned girl finds out her parents worked for a secret organization that fights demons. The girl meets a super hot guy who turns out is a warrior angel. Will she get into all sorts of dangerous situations where he (or another guy) arrives out of nowhere to save her? Will one of her new friends betray her? Will she and the angel fall in love? I think you can guess the answers to all of these questions.
Characters:
I found Maren to be extremely superficial when it came to boys. Even though she knows Anders (another hot guy at school) is a jerk, she seems all to willing to give him a chance because, after all, he is a lord, and rich, and gorgeous. She also doesn't seem to mind that Gavin is over 200 years old. Doesn't she find it creepy that he's hitting on her? Oh, no. It's okay because he's a hottie.
Although Maren's grandparents did seem like very kind and loving people, it didn't seem to phase them that their son, and his wife (Maren's parents) were secret agents. If they were so concerned for Maren's safety, I highly doubt they would be so nonchalant talking about it.
Troubling "Joke":
As if there weren't enough problems with this book, there is an extremely hurtful "joke" toward the end of the book.
"I don't know, " he said. "At least, I can't put my finger on it. I adore you, you know, but there's something else. Something special about you, Maren."
"Yeah, 'Special Ed'" I quipped.
What the heck?
As a special education teacher, I am seriously offended by this. The students I work with are kind, hard-working, and incredibly brave. They must face the world with challenges this character couldn't fathom. Making this joke is why parents often refuse support services for their kids. They don't want their child to have the 'Special Ed' label. Why perpetuate this stigma? This has no place in books, particularly from a main character the reader is supposed to admire.
I have contacted the publisher, and asked that they review this section of the book. I really hope they listen and take this out of further editions. It was unnecessary, and cruel.
November 12, 2016
I got this from NetGalley and I think, unlike many of the other reviewers, I was in the target audience. I don't understand why people who the book is obviously not written for leave it a 1-star review. I don't like adult crime books and I would never go leave a 1-star review for one based on me not liking the genre.That puts off people who might read it that are crime lovers for no reason. Poor form, if you ask me.
I LOVED this book and I'll tell you why. It was fast-paced, well-written, exciting, and a great option for kids first getting into the YA genre. I'm the mother of 3 girls (ages 11, 13, 16) and they have a hard time finding good books. You go from the Percy Jackson series right to Illuminae with masturbation, porn and casual sex scenes. Um, can we ease into it, guys? There are no warning labels on books and as a parent I had no idea what kind of stuff was being stuffed into YA. Rape, "breeding pits," drugs, on and on. I'm sorry, my 11 year old isn't ready for that yet. So that said, this book was a perfect book for tweens, early YA, and honestly, anyone else who doesn't want to read super sexed up, adult-type "YA."
My favorite part of the book was that it had fantasy elements but wasn't a completely made up world. It had puzzles and history and science facts in it that my kids loved telling me about afterwards ("Did you know that there's a secret city under London that was built during WWII?"). It's a smart book that my smart kids gobbled up. It didn't talk down to them or waste their time. 5 stars for that.
The book also had a wonderful, Twilight-like romance. Yes, it was very much like Twilight, but guess what? Twilight was 10 years ago. My kids missed it. I'm excited that they might have their own sigh-how-great-is-love romance series. The main characters are attracted to each other instantly, yes, but 1) they don't just fall into each other's arms and 2) I believe in love at first sight. I married mine 20 years ago. The author does a great job of handling the blush of first love, the tingling excitement you get when you just brush against his hand. That's exactly what I want my young teens reading right now. That's what they're experiencing after all.
I loved this book and think if you have smart, young teens who aren't ready for NC-17 books, this one is PERFECT. I'd give it 10 stars if I could.
I LOVED this book and I'll tell you why. It was fast-paced, well-written, exciting, and a great option for kids first getting into the YA genre. I'm the mother of 3 girls (ages 11, 13, 16) and they have a hard time finding good books. You go from the Percy Jackson series right to Illuminae with masturbation, porn and casual sex scenes. Um, can we ease into it, guys? There are no warning labels on books and as a parent I had no idea what kind of stuff was being stuffed into YA. Rape, "breeding pits," drugs, on and on. I'm sorry, my 11 year old isn't ready for that yet. So that said, this book was a perfect book for tweens, early YA, and honestly, anyone else who doesn't want to read super sexed up, adult-type "YA."
My favorite part of the book was that it had fantasy elements but wasn't a completely made up world. It had puzzles and history and science facts in it that my kids loved telling me about afterwards ("Did you know that there's a secret city under London that was built during WWII?"). It's a smart book that my smart kids gobbled up. It didn't talk down to them or waste their time. 5 stars for that.
The book also had a wonderful, Twilight-like romance. Yes, it was very much like Twilight, but guess what? Twilight was 10 years ago. My kids missed it. I'm excited that they might have their own sigh-how-great-is-love romance series. The main characters are attracted to each other instantly, yes, but 1) they don't just fall into each other's arms and 2) I believe in love at first sight. I married mine 20 years ago. The author does a great job of handling the blush of first love, the tingling excitement you get when you just brush against his hand. That's exactly what I want my young teens reading right now. That's what they're experiencing after all.
I loved this book and think if you have smart, young teens who aren't ready for NC-17 books, this one is PERFECT. I'd give it 10 stars if I could.
November 11, 2016
Helen This book is amazing!
This book opens up with the main character from Missouri, Maren Hamilton (age 17) watching her mothers casket being lowered into the ground. Soon after her mothers funeral she is moved to Scottland to live with her Scottish grandparents whom she has never meet.
Once in Scotland the story then goes into a plot twist where Maren receives an old encrypted journal of her mothers. She learns that her parents were part of a secret, international organization, and now she must figure out if she will join, and become part of the good fight! In the small town of Aviemore, young Maren is thrown into a new school, new friends, and most of all a NEW, "do or die" scenario all while being watched over by a "secret service" type Angel whom she is forbidden to "fall" for.
Maclean fills the story with twists and page turning journeys through the beautiful countries of Great Britain and the U.K.. Having you feeling as though you are right there. This story has great depth and description throughout the book. The Characters are both realistic and yet some still mysterious... this keeps you captivated from beginning to end!
This story, I believe, will become the new beloved book for YA readers (and older;) in 2017!
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