Toward a Secret Sky is a VERY cringe worthy book for someone who has read a lot of YA. I would say this is a mixture of Twilight and Fallen. I mean, if you're into really cheesy YA books, you might love this but I had to put down the book a few times and say out loud "is this for real?".

This novel is about Maren, a girl whose mother just died. She now has to move to Scotland to live with her grandparents and finds the forbidden love of her life. Maren also discovers that her parents were part of a secret organization and now has to decide whether or not she wants to take part in the cause.

I think the worst part of this book was Gavin, the love interest. He is actually the creepiest love interest I've ever read about. For an immortal guy, the words coming out of his mouth were horrible. Gavin says he loves Maren not even half way into the book, which is super weird for someone I've barely read anything about. Once you get to the halfway point in the book, he tells the main character he's MEMORIZED her HEARTBEAT. Like, seriously dude?! Later on, when the MC can't fall asleep, he asks her what her mother used to do to get her to sleep. At this line, even Maven's like wtf. I especially liked how Gavin had a temper tantrum involving him punching a tree and screaming when he cannot stop the MC from going to save her grandmother. All in all, Gavin is not book boyfriend material. He may be Scottish and hot, but please don't fall for this weirdo.

I have to say, the world building of this book was kind of non-existent. I have no idea what this secret organization does really and it doesn't explain the origin story of why angels and demons are on earth. The plot was okay. I liked that the story took us out of Scotland and into London. I think at the end of Toward a Secret Sky things seem to look up, but it looks like the plot and world building will start to get better in another book, if that happens.

I did like that Maren was a puzzle solver because it added some thrilling parts. But I really know nothing about Maren other than that. I have no idea about her favourite hobby or if she had any friends at home in Missouri. Maren doesn't even talk about her mother, who just died, that much until later in the novel. The only thing I know about her is that she LURVES Gavin and she is warming up to her grandparents.

I definitely wouldn't recommend this book for older YA audiences unless they want to read something that reminds them of Twilight.

http://readdayandnight.blogspot.com/2017/04/toward-secret-sky-by-heather-maclean.html

This one was a little difficult to review but I want to thank the publisher for a finalized copy and to Jean Book Nerd Tours for picking us to be on the tour.

There were a lot of elements I loved and some that didn't work for me. I'll start with the aspects I enjoyed which makes this book worthwhile, in my opinion.

Cover and Blurb: That cover and the synopsis is what originally drew me to the story. First, the cover is so simple but absolutely gorgeous. And the story summary promises an international setting complete with love, intrigue, and danger. What's not to love about all these?

Setting: I've never been to Scotland but I hope to someday. Heather Maclean uses great descriptors and I could imagine/picture myself there. It provided a great background to the gloomy tone of the novel.

Premise: Even though the whole angels/demons trope has been done before, this one had a unique spin. You see, we meet Maren. She's lost her mother at a young age and is sent to live with her grandparents (whom she has never met) for the first time now that she is orphaned. You get a sense that there is more than meets the eye as soon as she arrives and there is a world that turns from safe and where she can wallow in her sorrow, to one that becomes immediately terrorizing, given the unearthly war taking place there. And I loved the idea of the Abbey, the counterpart to the Angels fighting the demons here on Earth.

Characters: There were some secondary character which I just adored, like Jo and Hunter. And there were others that I wanted to really like, but they just didn't grow on me.

So now, onto the not-so-good aspects...

There's something about characters instantly falling for each other that tends to rub me the wrong way. I get it, some people love it. But this is one of the aspects I think felt short for me. Maren, upon first laying eyes on the love interest Gavin, is completely smitten way too quickly. This is before she's even had a get-to-know-each-other worthy conversation with him. So for the rest of the book, the relationship felt a bit empty and I was numb to it, not really along for the ride with the both of them.

And that is sad, because as mentioned above, this story does have a lot of aspects and themes that I enjoy in these types of narratives.

But as always, I ask that you make up your own mind because you may feel differently than I did. And the ending seems to suggest that there's a sequel in the works and my thoughts on this one doesn't deter me because I will be reading the sequel. I'm so intrigued by what's to come and there's so many possibilities. Maybe the author will have worked on some of the more critical writing issues I had with this first one. Happy reading!

IF you loved Twilight and you are interested in angels, this is the book for you. Paranormal romance with mystery and good vs. evil, it will help you while away a couple of hours quickly.

While a YA novel, this smart thriller can easily cross target audiences while it crosses genres (supernatural/thriller/romance) - angels and demons at war, a secret agency under attack, intrigue - this story ticks all the boxes. I confess, I've seen a few "DaVinci Code meets Twilight" descriptions, and I have to say, it's accurate in all the best ways.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book, but it did NOT disappoint. The pace was quick as the story unfolded, the writing descriptive and imaginative. Maclean takes a few themes we've seen and works her magic on them, turning them into something new and unexpected. The story was clever, the Scottish setting a beautiful backdrop, and I cannot wait until the sequel to see what happens next.

I'm grateful to have been introduced to this author via an advanced copy from Netgalley. All thoughts are my own.

Toward a Secret Sky is a Dan Brown-esque young adult paranormal story set in Scotland, following the forbidden love between a human and an immortal, and the race to save humans from an otherworldly menace.

PROS:

The Scottish setting was really lovely to read about. I’ve never been to Scotland before, but the way Heather Maclean described the places that Maren lives and visits made it come to life on the page, and really set a unique tone for the book. The countryside, estates, cathedrals and crypts made for some great reading.

I really enjoyed Maren’s character - for the first part of the story she was a very prickly young woman, hurt by the deaths of her parents and the way that her life has suddenly been uprooted and everything she knows is different. Once she realises that her family has a connection to a secret organisation that she never knew about, it gives her focus and gives her something to focus on.

I didn’t realise just how much of a paranormal book this would be before reading it and I loved that entire aspect. Between Gavin and Graham’s worlds, Maclean has taken two very familiar paranormal creatures and given them a unique twist that perfectly suits the story she’s trying to tell.

It was very fast-paced; a lot happens in very quick succession and that really helped hold my interest and keep me reading well after I thought I should have put the book down.

CONS:

There is a bit of insta-love and that would occasionally pull me out of the reading zone to ask ‘Really?!’ It’s not that the relationships between Maren and Gavin and Maren and Graham are interesting - they both are - but I think it would have still been okay to dive more into the mystery before rolling out the romance, rather than the other way around.

I would have liked more character development on the side characters that play important roles within the story - such as Maren’s mother and her grandparents. We get glimpses, and are expected to understand the impact these characters have on her life, but we know so little about them. Hopefully these characters might be fleshed out further in subsequent books.

Overall, I gave Toward a Secret Sky 4 out of 5 stars.

I was pretty excited about this book when I found out that the protagonist and I share a name and that it mostly takes place in Scotland. It seemed like it was going to be a thrilling fantastical adventure with the whole battle between angels and demons. And it was fairly enjoyable, and I probably would have liked it more had it not felt so similar to the Premonition series by Amy A. Bartol. A girl loses her last living parent, goes off to a new place and meets a thrilling but mysterious boy who turns out to be an angel and soon finds herself in the middle of the battle between angels and demons.... It was just too similar for me to really enjoy more.
2.5 Stars

I did not feel connected with the characters and had a hard time getting into the story.

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.

Maren’s mother is now dead and she is being shuttled off to her grandparent’s house in Scotland. She has never met them, because they did not approve of their son marrying Maren’s mom. As she is adjusting to a new way of life, she receives a box with some items from her mother. Inside she finds an encrypted journal that sets her on a path of self-discovery. Both of Maren’s parents worked for a secret organization and now it seems that this organization wants her to work for them too. Unfortunately, there is something wicked in this small town and if Maren joins her parent’s fight her new friends may be left in grave peril.

Toward a Secret Sky is presently listed as a stand-alone novel, yet Maclean has created a wondrous world and amazing storyline that can easily be carried into more volumes. Maren must make some difficult decisions in a short time and readers will not want to put the book down in order to see how she will react next. Since this is being promoted as a singleton, the storyline is complete without a cliff hanger, but most readers will want to know more about this secret organization, Maren’s parents and what happens next to Maren herself. Toward a Secret Sky should be added to everyone’s TBR list if they enjoy fantasy novels with just a twist of romance.

Unfortunately I was unable to get into Toward a Secret Sky. The writing felt inconsistent at times which kept me from truly connecting to the story and the characters. It also felt on the younger aspect of the young adult spectrum which further disconnected me.. Due to my not finishing this book, I can't go into detail about the entire story, but from the parts that I read, I couldn't get a grasp on the main female character nor the building mystery around her mother. I think it's a case of this book just merely being not for me, but I think others should give it a try as they might enjoy it. .

I can't make it through this one. It is just too over the top cheesy and ridiculous. The plot seemed interesting and had definite potential, until it was completely obliterated by a cringe worthy über insta-love and a somewhat silly take on angel/demon lore.

I was excited for this book at first. I liked the way the short chapters seemed to clip along and we got more and more glimpses into the secrets Maren's mom had been keeping. I didn't really connect with Maren, and the writing seemed a bit awkward and juvenile, but the secret society/mysterious possibly supernatural aspects were intriguing. And then we met Gavin and learned about the whole angel deal and things started to go down hill real fast.

I liked the angels vs. demons thing at first. It seemed to mostly follow the traditional biblical narrative, which I thought would be nice because at least it's familiar and not a whole different world to learn. However, the angels in this book really seemed to align more with traditional fairy lore. Which was kind of weird for me. Just make them fairies then instead.

What really killed the book above all else for me was the crazy insta-love though. It was insane. Even when Maren thinks Gavin is a full fledged demon, possibly a serial killer, or mentally deranged, she still can't shut up about how hot his and how she wants to be with him. It's insane. Especially with how much she keeps telling herself how he could be crazy or evil or a serial killer. But oh well, he's super hot. *eye roll* And once she finds out he's an angel she's thinking about how she's falling even more in love with him within a couple pages. It was so uncomfortable and awkward and not at all fun to read about. There were also some seriously powerful Twilight parallels here. And I'm not one to say that about every paranormal romance. I felt like some of the conversations and passages were taken directly from Twilight and reworded for this.

While the relationship was like a Twilight fast forward, the angel/demon battles and The Abbey reminded a lot of the Mortal Instruments series, and the Scottish setting felt like nothing more than nod toward the current popularity of Outlander. Especially because the setting and culture didn't feel particularly well researched or well done. The premise was interesting, but I just couldn't get in to it.

I liked the main character and narrator Maren well enough. She was a strong and brave character, although a little too naive at times and she was too quick to trust others. She also took too long to accept some of the things that were happening around her even though she had dreams that predicted the future. Her relationship with both Gavin and Joy were a little too instant. Also she had just moved to Scotland to live with her grandparents, but there was no lamenting or missing her old life in the states, except when she thought of her mom. No mention of her friends and life back home. It was like she didn't exist until she arrived in Scotland. I hate that. It makes it hard to relate to the character, and doesn't make them feel like a real person.

The other characters were fine, but not as fleshed out as I would like. I really struggled with liking Gavin, Maren's 'forbidden' love interest. Beside the good looks, he didn't really seem to have a personality. Graham was also extremely good looking, but at times his character didn't make sense. He shows up at the beginning of the story, then briefly to rescue her from his cousin and then at the end. He didn't really seem to be part of the story, even though he played a major role at the end.

I liked the story line of The Abbey, the secret society that Maren's parents belonged to. That sounded way cool, even though they seem to get a lot of people killed. Their secret headquarters were way awesome, underneath London and hard to get to. Maren's abilities were also interesting, her seeing the future and some other things I won't reveal. I also enjoyed the setting of Scotland, I love that country and always enjoy reading books set there. I had some issues with the flow of the plot. It just didn't flow well for me. Also, Maren would meet random people who would then disappear from the story, but suddenly they were the person she needed to talk to the most to help with a problem. It was just weird.

Even though I had some issues with the story, I think it has potential and I think there are teens that would really enjoy it. I also had a hard time putting it down, even with the issues.

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!

First of all, I want to start this review by saying that, I had anticipated the release of Toward A Secret Sky and when the opportunity to join the blog tour for it arose, I could not resist entering. Don't get me wrong but, I knew I was going to love it as soon as I started reading! It's definitely my kind of book - if that makes sense whatsoever - and I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it sooner than I had originally planned!

Moving on to the plot itself. It had my attention as soon as I finished reading the first paragraph and with every page that I turned, things got even more intense. I had that amazing feeling of excitement throughout the whole book and it made me eager to keep reading in order to learn how the story would progress and what would eventually happen. I feel like it's been a while since I've read a Fantasy/Paranormal book and enjoyed it this much or even better, loved it.

I also loved the characters introduced in this book! Maren was kind of naive sometimes and in denial of what was happening around her but, I really enjoyed reading this story from her perspective and seeing her develop throughout it. She seriously had me holding my head and covering my eyes because I could not, for the life of me, predict what she'd do and where she would end up because of it. I felt this rush of adrenaline every single time and it was like the pages were turning into a movie inside my head. They were so vividly described and filled me with an anticipation that I always welcome and find more than exciting in books! She's also very loyal and deeply cares for her loved ones, something that I always love and appreciate.

Gavin on the other hand was a force to be reckoned with. Of course he's gorgeous, brave and all kinds of wonderful. No doubt there! He deeply cares for Maren but is torn between love and duty. He's definitely boyfriend material if you ask me though. Just saying. Problem is, Maren is going to become a target if anyone learns that he's actually in love with her. Which complicates things much more and of course, I'm up for it.

The romance was to die for. It was definitely insta love so, I'm not sure whether everyone will enjoy it as much as I did. I personally do not have a problem with insta love romances. Quite the opposite actually. My heart is too romantic to be bothered or even annoyed by them. Of course that doesn't mean that I always have to enjoy them. Depends on their beginning and further development. Gavin and Maren's romance was definitely on the swoon worthy and very interesting side. Insta love doesn't necessarily mean that, they get to be together in the end, or at all. And in this case, their relationship is so much more complex than anyone - including me - would have thought.

The writing was pretty great and descriptive. No question was left unanswered and I immensely enjoyed the flow of the story itself, which in my opinion is very important. It was also fast-paced - my favorite - and kept me on edge with its unexpected twists and very unpredictable nature. I could not stop reading and I seriously did not expect anything less. Last but not least, the secondary characters of the book, which I'm not going to name because of obvious reasons, made things even better and contributed to the book in their own way. They were very likable and easy to connect to, making the experience of reading even better.

Overall, Toward A Secret Sky is a unique and fascinating tale of secrets, set in a world where coincidences do not exist, nothing is certain and nobody can be trusted. Perfect for fans of both action and love at first sight, it will grab your attention and you won't be able to stop reading until there aren't any more pages left!

To conclude this review, I want to say that, the ending did break my heart. Not only that, but it also tore it into pieces, stomped on it and left me wondering whether I'll ever be able to put it back together. Talking about it will make things worse for me and obviously spoil anyone who hasn't read it so, I'll just keep that one to myself and rant about it until I see an announcement for the sequel. There is going to be one, right?

Loved this book so much. Edge of my seat the whole way. A new world that I have never read about before. Enjoyed it

I wish I had been able to read this book, but it was archived before I could.

A deliciously intriguing story that can’t help but be devoured. An adventure that needs to be read again and again just to let it all sink in.

Maren Hamilton is seventeen and has just watched her mother be buried. She is now left all alone and is sent to live with her grandparents in Scotland. That wouldn’t be so bad except she had never met them. It is hard enough fitting in at a new school, let alone one in a new country. Just when Maren thinks she is starting to relax and feel like it could be home, she receives some of her mother’s things from her work, including an encrypted journal that makes her realize she never really knew her mother or others around her. Now, she is in danger along with anyone she gets close to. One by one, she pieces together the clues left by her mother but not before her small town becomes the victim of something evil. Maren needs the help of Gavin, her newly appointed guardian angel, who she has quickly fallen in love with even though it is against all rules. He may be her angel but they are also dealing with demons and forces of evil the likes of which she could never have imagined. Before all is said and done, Maren will learn some of the hardest life lessons and hopefully come out the other side alive and better for it, or maybe not.

I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this book. There was just the right amount of action, romance, suspense, drama and even supernatural to keep me hooked throughout. All of those together can sometimes be a difficult combination but it worked here flawlessly. Maclean did an excellent job of bringing these characters, and the different settings, to life in a dramatic and beautiful way. The main setting in Scotland is set up mostly by Gavin, which I liked. This is the kind of story that I can see fans of the Twilight series falling in love with. There is a lot of push and pull between the characters, especially Maren and Gavin; they want to be together but know it isn’t permitted. When you have characters in this kind of situation it can become tiresome with the back and forth, but for some strange reason it worked here. Maybe it was because nothing felt forced. The characters did what they would naturally do and it showed with the way it came across on the pages. All I must say is there better be another book to follow because I want more. The ending wrapped things up nicely but also left it open easily for another to come. I highly recommend this to young adults looking for a thrilling supernatural read that will leave them wanting more well past the last page.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

4/5

Towards a Secret Sky is a mash of the Mortal Instruments and Twilight. It tells a story of a young girl whose mother dies under mysterious circumstances and she now has to move to a remote town in Scotland. Here she meets a mysterious stranger Gavin, but not all is what it seems. Soon she is immersed in a world full of intrigue, murder, secret organizations and demons.

I was a little hesitant when I started the book. After all I am no longer a teen and first love feeling are very intense. However, as I continued reading the book I was reminded of all the great feelings Twilight brought to me when I was reading it as a teen. This book was like re-living all of those feelings so I would like to thank the author for that, and I am definitely looking forward to book 2.

However, the circumstance that our main character is thrown into...I really wanted to hug her and get her some therapy because man, not often does the main character experience this much loss. Be prepared to feel very frustrated for her.

The only reason why I did not give the book 5 stars is it's VERY HEAVY in Christian values. And yes I know some of you will tell me so was Twilight. However, Twilight did not shout it at you, or recount the Ten Commandments because the main character kissed a boy. I understand that when dealing with angels and demons it will be heavy in Christianity but maybe tone it down? I think it might actually turn away some readers who would otherwise really like the book.

Otherwise the book is very fast paced, entertaining, fun, and devastating all at the same time. If you are looking for a book with teen romance, adventure, mystery and travel then this is the book for you.