Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Toward a Secret Sky” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Toward a Secret Sky

Heather Maclean (Goodreads Author)

3.38 · Rating details · 719 ratings · 284 reviews

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 clue ...more

Get A Copy

Hardcover, 384 pages

Published April 4th 2017 by Blink

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Toward a Secret Sky, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

YA Novels of 2017

1,103 books — 8,459 voters

Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

YA Releases of April, 2017

46 books — 185 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 3.38 ·

Rating details

· 719 ratings · 284 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of Toward a Secret Sky

Jun 29, 2016 Alyssa rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2017-releases

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 se ...more

flag 35 likes · Like · see review

Apr 08, 2017 Erin rated it it was ok

Shelves: netgalley, kobo

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 par ...more

flag 33 likes · Like · see review

Sep 15, 2017 Aditi rated it really liked it

Shelves: friends, contemporary-romance, my-reviews, fantasy, ya, harper-collins

“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 pare ...more

flag 24 likes · Like · see review

Jan 19, 2018 Nicki Chapelway added it

Shelves: dnf

DNF 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 ...more

flag 19 likes · Like · see review

Apr 12, 2017 Zyra rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, favorites

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! ...more

flag 18 likes · Like · see review

Nov 10, 2018 Jeena rated it did not like it

Shelves: difficult-to-read, one-time-reads, exclusively-entertaining, maybe-i-read

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 ...more

flag 19 likes · Like · see review

Mar 11, 2017 Rebekah rated it liked it

Shelves: paranormal, 2017, clean, fantasy, ya-addiction

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 we 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 ...more

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

May 02, 2017 Carrie rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

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 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....

...more

flag 14 likes · Like · see review

Nov 12, 2016 Rebecca (whenallotherlightsgoout) rated it did not like it

Shelves: did-not-finish, netgalley

I received this book from Blink via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review

DNF 32%

I really liked the idea behind this story, but the book didn't live up to it. The mystery and the puzzles are intriguing, but take a backseat to the insta-love appearance-based romance. Even for an insta-love story, the relationship happened far too quickly and I felt that the dialogue between these two characters was forced and awkward. I really can't stand whole paragraphs dedicated to gawking over a guy's mus ...more

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

Aug 07, 2017 Christine Spoors rated it it was ok

Shelves: read-2017, scottish-celtic

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 o 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! ...more

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

May 26, 2017 Miranda rated it it was ok

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 i ...more

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Aug 17, 2017 Peri June rated it really liked it

Shelves: book-challenge

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.
...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Mar 21, 2017 Sheila Goicea rated it really liked it

Shelves: includes-angels-demons, arc-ebook, 2017-completed-reads, arc-via-netgalley, fantasy

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 ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Apr 27, 2017 Kate (beautifulbookland) rated it did not like it

Shelves: net-galley, 1-star

Ah, this book was painful. Painful, I tell you. I should have known when I couldn't pronounce the main character's name (Maren as is Karen? Maren as in Mare-an? Who knows, who knows) that my relationship with this book just wasn't meant to be.

My two main problems with this book was Maren (that girl did my fucking head in, I tell ya) and the serious case on insta-love. Insta-love as in, Maren's knees buckled because of Gavin's beauty. Yes, she actually FELL TO THE GROUND when she meets this rand ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Oct 03, 2016 Claire rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya, arc-s

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 m ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Apr 05, 2017 Ashley Gillan rated it really liked it

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 an ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 11, 2016 Lacey Miller rated it liked it

Shelves: angels, kindle, demons, netgalley

~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 twiligh ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Apr 11, 2017 Michelle rated it really liked it

Shelves: own-hardcover, review-on-blog, want-to-continue

**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 **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 ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 23, 2016 Emily Sarah rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance, fantasy, young-adult, paranormal

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, ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 31, 2016 Shaila rated it it was amazing

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, ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 22, 2016 Susan rated it really liked it

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 word ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Jun 12, 2018 Emily rated it liked it

Shelves: review-copies, christian-speculative

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! 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. ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jun 18, 2017 Shelley rated it liked it · review of another edition

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 ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 06, 2017 Lisa Mandina rated it really liked it

4.5? Full review to come on Lisa Loves Literature soon.

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Sep 06, 2019 Krysta Bunch rated it liked it

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 prob ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 21, 2017 Hetal rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arcs, 2017-must-reads, predictable, tortured-paranormal-heart-throb, insta-love, angels

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 scho ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jun 04, 2017 Chelly rated it liked it

Full review: http://chellywrites.blogspot.com/2017... ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2017 MsArdychan rated it did not like it

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 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. ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 06, 2017 Minx rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2017, young-adult, netgalley-arc-2017, fantasy

Toward a Secret Sky was a like-dislike book for me. What originally excited me about this book was that the main character, Maren Hamilton, was ignorant to the fact that her parents were spies until she was sent her mother’s encrypted journal. Then throw in labyrinths, booby-trapped crypts and romance and I was desperately looking forward to this book! It just did not pan out the way I wanted it to.

Let’s start with the “like” part of this book. I liked the story being set in Scotland and I enjoy Toward a Secret Sky was a like-dislike book for me. What originally excited me about this book was that the main character, Maren Hamilton, was ignorant to the fact that her parents were spies until she was sent her mother’s encrypted journal. Then throw in labyrinths, booby-trapped crypts and romance and I was desperately looking forward to this book! It just did not pan out the way I wanted it to.

Let’s start with the “like” part of this book. I liked the story being set in Scotland and I enjoyed how the author took the time to develop the setting. Although I am now permanently turned off to Scottish food, kidding. The idea of a secret organization tasked with finding humans that have special talents to team up with angels was unique. There were also demons which gave it a nice good versus evil conflict. The pacing of the story was fast and had mysterious elements that kept my interest. There was also a DiVinci code vibe to this book that was most enjoyable.

Now the “dislike,” so much could have been done with the entire angel-human collaboration but it was killed by insta-love. The plot was moving along nicely then it became all about the attraction and all the cool stuff was smothered by ridiculous dialogue about said attraction. Normally I am not a hater of instant attraction but there was no basis for the attraction. The angst of it all – don’t like me, I can’t like you, we can’t be but I love you. The attraction was not built upon anything. I did not get the Gavin-Maren connection. Their interactions and swooning for each other just made my eyes roll. Unfortunately, it also did not improve as the story went on.

What I wish was that the story would have focused on Maren and the secret society angle. Then build up the smolder between her and Gavin. A nice smolder would have gone far in building the attraction between these characters. It would have given a real yearning to see their relationship develop in the next book in this series. I am assuming that this book is going to be a series as it is left with a cliffhanger which does promise some interesting times. Anyhow, I wanted to love this story, I really did, but the romance angle between the two main characters was so overdone that it overshadowed the part of the story that I did enjoy.

This review is based on a complimentary book I received from NetGalley. It is an honest and voluntary review. The complimentary receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.
...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Nov 12, 2016 Renee Adams rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya-for-tweens, family-friendly, first-romance

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, excitin 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. ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend It | Stats | Recent Status Updates

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Fantasy

70 users

Young Adult

64 users

Romance

23 users

Fantasy > Paranormal

12 users

Paranormal > Angels

11 users

Mystery

9 users

Cultural > Scotland

8 users

Young Adult > Young Adult Fantasy

8 users

Fiction

7 users

Fantasy > Supernatural

7 users

See top shelves…

About Heather Maclean

Heather Maclean

88 followers

Heather 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 he ...more