It’s a good thing Scots have a good sense of humour, because this depiction of Scottish traditions is the very reason why Brits dislike Americans so much. As a North American who has lived in the UK (including Scotland), I know these culture differences. You don’t have to tell me that crisps and chips are different and that they drive on the wrong side of the road. People know this. We’re not exactly covering new ground here. Tell me all about the rolling hills and how gorgeous the land is. Give me atmospheric weather and bagpipes on street corners. You can’t introduce a protagonist who a.) is an outsider and b.) insults clotted cream, chips, and haggis all in one sweep within the first few pages. It’s just not a particularly good way to endear any British readers to the narrative. And in fact, this is incredibly offensive to Brits in general, who do take pride in their clotted cream and fish and chips, and Scots for their haggis. Also, in the full year I lived in Scotland, I don’t think I encountered a single public restroom you had to pay for. I just don’t need this terribly predictable American-centric view on Scotland because it’s not doing anything productive or kind to the setting.

Great idea, but terrible execution. The character development was abysmal. The storyline was good in theory but it just ended up being ridiculous. There were so many plot holes and so much jumping around. Also everyone seemed oddly okay with all the supernatural occurrences. This could have been good, but it wasn't. It could possibly be saved by the next book in the series, but I have my doubts.

4.5
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!!

<b>DNF at %20</b>

I'm honestly so disappointed right now. I had really high hopes for <i>Toward a Secret Sky</i> and was so excited when I got the ARC, but from the first chapter I knew it would be a letdown. There were so many great reviews for this book and I cannot for the life of me imagine why.

The writing is juvenile and simplistic to the point of being condescending (like I don't know what drinking your tea 'black' means and need you to explain it...are you serious?) and I legit have <b>NO TIME WHATSOEVER</b> for a book that treats its readers like they're idiots. Even if I'd read this at 14 years old I would have found it juvenile.

The characters are one-dimensional at most and Maclean obviously did little to no research on Scotland before writing this since everything she describes is just Scot stereotype nonsense.

If you're 12 or enjoy your stories simple and stupid then by all means have at it but otherwise I'd not waste your time or money.

<b>Thank you to NetGalley and Blink for the opportunity to R&R</b>

Not awful but not great either. The plot lacked originality (angels/demons), some characters fell a little flat, could have used more world building, and I thought the way the angels/demons identify one another (seeing each other's breath, really?!) was a tad ridiculous. I think there was potential here for a good story but as is it was disappointing.
*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!*

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, who turns out to be an angel. 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: true nature cannot be disguised by propriety. Yes, he is a bona fide creeper, (and every other synonym close to the term appropriate to describe a rapist--which is basically what he is.) However, his face-value deception completely embodied everything that a demon is; cunning, ruthless, merciless, selfish...the list goes on. It is because of his subtle cunning that made his character work so well.

*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.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Overall this book was actually pretty good. The characters had depth. You couldn't help but feel for the main character for everything she has had to go through. The descriptions were very vivid so I was able to picture the places. I do plan on reading the next one as it is sorta set up for a sequel. However, let me say, if none of all that good had happened I would have stopped reading it for the instalove. Now I don't mind instalove I think it is cute when it is warranted but....oh so much but....this one was almost unbelievable. All of a sudden they were just in love. Like you didn't 'feel' that part between them. It was just magically there. I just wish that could have been better or this book have rated a few more extra stars.

DNF @ 90 pages

I made in ninety pages in before I just gave up. Skimming through the rest of the book only confirmed my theory – this book and I were not destined to have a happy relationship. Whilst Toward a Secret Sky has a fantastic premise – orphans, secret organisations, Scottish Highlands – the actual story was severely lacking. It reminded me of a less compelling Twilight with secret codes and angels and demons instead of vampires (ripping off The Da Vince Code and The Mortal Instruments simultaneously), but the same nauseating sense of insta-love and a special snowflake protagonist.

The writing felt underdeveloped and rushed – the reveals in those first ninety pages felt hurried and unconvincing. At no point was I invested in Maren’s character or her story. Instead of feeling sympathy for the death of mother I just felt bored – bored of her narrative, her experiences in Scotland, and her obsession with Gavin. We are simply told that Maren is cursed/unlucky and feels like an outsider, without any evidence to back it up – yes, her parents are dead and that is tragic, but many people lose parents, it doesn’t make you cursed or some kind of harbinger of death. Even though this is fiction it still needs to be convincing and I can't remember the last time I felt so unconvinced by a story.

Maren's interactions with Gavin had me laughing out loud with their idiocy – it is not logical to become obsessed with or fantasise about some guy you’ve just met because he’s hot, even less logical to find yourself wanting to kiss him, be with him, just be near him, even though he’s acted like an asshole, just because he’s hot. I’m not buying it; it’s a disservice to teenage girls to suggest that that is all they care about, that they are that shallow, especially when they have just experienced the massive emotional trauma and upheaval that Maren has. I’m actually fairly pissed off that this book didn’t live up to my expectations because it could have been so good.

I seem to be in the minority with this as the reviews are overwhelmingly positive, so I can only say it might be for you – there is always the possibility that the writing becomes more compelling and the plot more developed but I am not willing to find out. Maybe it is just me, maybe I’m too old or too cynical, but I sadly found no enjoyment in Toward a Secret Sky.

DNF at 68%

Oh how I WANTED to like this book. The blurb sounds cool, the cover is decent, and it started out great! I love Scotland, so that was a bonus. This should have been an awesome YA espionage novel.

.... And then it was ruined by adding angels and demons and instalove.

I like angels and demons just fine. I even liked Gavin when he was a cute, mysterious boy in the woods. But once the instalove hit, my eyes were rolling and I was groaning. (And I'm not even someone who hates instalove all the time! Just when it doesn't work - like here!)

The plot was all over the place. There was so much going on and a lot of it didn't seem to have to do with anything. Characters would disappear and reappear as it was convenient for Maren.

I don't normally review or rate DNF books, but at 68% I think I have a good idea of what this book is like. And for me, not good. I'm only giving 2 stars for the very beginning.

Middle grade/young teen readers might enjoy this one, but for those who are looking for a little more depth and cohesiveness for the story, this is a no go.

While skimming through books this cover caught my attention with its stormy sky, highland hills and secret emblem floating above what I consider to be Celtic lettering. With this said, I read the description; ping #1 for me was it looked to take place in Scotland, so I assumed it had the 'Scots humor' I adore, and hoped MacLean would be endearing readers to the rugged Scotland I've come to know. Ping #2- Secret International Organization= mystery and intrigue, right? Ping #3- twisted labyrinths and famous cathedrals. So far, before I even cracked a page, I wanted to read this book!

Cracking open said book, I can honestly say it's a page-turner. MacLean's writing hits each story beat perfectly, each chapter starts with a hook and ends with a hook, which in turn equals 'page-turner' a.k.a loss of sleep if you're reading at night.

MacLean hit on all my pings marvelously; it does take place mainly in Scotland with the secondary cast of characters weaving in the Scot's humor, vocabulary, and daily living nuances of uprooting to a new country. Maren's grandparents and new friends she makes help the readers understand what it would be like to suddenly find oneself in another country.

Maren, the 17 yr old who starts her story with the loss of her mom and immediate relocation to Aviemore, Scotland to be under the care of her grandparents, states the major differences between living in the US and Scotland succinctly with the large and small differences: language barriers, food choices, music availability, internet woes, phone challenges, etc. I love this, but then I'm an adult and have experienced US vs. the World differences in various countries.

Gavin, the hero of our story, is truly our hero as he does a lot of saving of Maren when needed, which is often. Gavin's character is a type of angel, but a very young one. He's also the hot Scot and we're first introduced to him while he's hunting in a kilt--great way to unexpectedly meet a hero, right? I found Gavin's role to be a bit of an enigma though. The more I read, the more I found Gavin's character to be confusing; in one scene he's more like a standard young man, then the next he's almost all knowing. I can understand that when it comes to romantic relationships this would be a new thing to him, being an angel in which MacLean explains Gavin has never been 'in love'; it seemed like Gavin was a little too much like the waves on the beach with his knowledge and lack of knowledge flowing in and out instead of a steady movement forward as the book proceeded. Maybe this is the authors way of explaining how confusing love can be? As for love, my favorite line regarding the attraction factor is from Maren: Forget I ever met him. Short of getting a lobotomy, I had exactly zero chance of succeeding at that.

As for the story line itself, I would explain it as Buffy melds with James Bond. We've got the supernatural, superpower element of good vs. evil and the international men [and women] of mystery who are licensed to kill. There's plenty of fast paced action mixed in with the underlying mystery of nightmares of foresight, disembodied screeching and in true Bond fashion, a cast of characters whom MacLean has no problem exterminating and replacing with new blood.

Overall, I give this a two thumbs up for it's great pacing, plotting, and story beats which carry the reader swiftly through the book. I believe the young adult readers will enjoy this, but fair warning, this is definitely geared for the female readers who love action and not so much sappy, wimpy high school love stories.

If you liked Thief of Lies by Brenda Drake then you will love Toward a Secret Sky. It had so many of the same vibes (and even a character named Gia!) Supernatural - human partnerships, different realms colliding, darkness and light battling, a uniquely gifted girl protagonist thrown into her destiny. What's not to like, huh?
The opening chapter roped me in with mystery, voice, plot, premise, and the pace remained steady throughout.
There were a few suspend beliefs moments for me, and a few plot holes. The story/plot development was not as developed as I like it to be, but I think this may be a result of being written for a younger side of YA.
The Scottish atmosphere, UK accents, references and language differences all made a pretty fun environment. There was a bit of the instalove romance between the two protagonists considering how many times they had met, but honestly, if I met Gavin, the same thing might have happened.
All in all, it was a fun read, lovely descriptions, and I think teens everywhere will adore it!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

My review: First off a quick thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this ARC.

This book caught my attention because of its beautiful an stunning cover. I love it so much. The summary sounded really intriguing because I'm such a sucker for a good romance.


This book is amazing. It has a great plot and amazing characters. I absolutely adore the authors take on demons and angels.


So we have our main protagonist, Maren. She's strong and brave, basically your average female protagonist. What I love about her though is that she has a "guardian." A guy that saves her. That may sound weird but let me explain. Most of the books being published now a days are with a female protagonist that saves herself and practically everyone else as well. And that's great and all, I'm a strong believer that we shouldn't be put down because we're female, but I really do like books where the female gets rescued by her love. Especially because the guy saving her is an angel and angels are the only one's that can kill demons (so at least there's a good excuse as to why the boy saves the girl.)


Then there's Gavin. He has to be one of my favorite characters. He's strong and determined. He seems like a jerk at the beginning but there is a good reason behind it!


There ware two things that I didn't really like about it. The first is that it's so sappy. I love romance, I can't stand a book without it. Throughout the book I found myself squealing giddily (which is a good thing for me.) But I also found myself cringing from how over dramatic some things were. I can't give an example because spoilers suck but this is defiantly a book for people who love romance and not a book for people who don't.


The second thing is that something's seemed forced. It might've been me but something's didn't seem like they flowed naturally.


I love the cliff hanger though and I'm really hoping there's going to be a second book.

For the majority of this book I thought I would for sure date it 5 stars. I was loving it and couldn't get enough. It seemed like a unique story; nothing like what I've read already. This book had me questioning all characters and wondering who could be a demon? Then, about the time Maren and Gavin are trying to save Hunter, I started to have questions about some of the plot lines. I needed more information to really understand. I kept waiting for those questions to be answered but I never got them answered. I still loved the book but because I didn't get all the information that I felt I needed, I had to bump it to a four star rating. Overall this was a great book with the potential for more and I really hope there are other books following this story line with Maren entering the Abbey to save Gavin.

I really enjoyed this book. I really hope there is a sequel!

This was a great book for a standalone which I'm usually not a fan of, the characters were both realistic and a still a little mysterious. The plot was great and very imaginative but I did get the feeling like I had read it before, but I also liked that it took place in Scotland.

I would recommend this book to students who enjoy fantasy romance because it is "clean YA," but I personally felt that the plot was tired, a repeat of many similar stories.

RATING: 3.5
I'll start off with, and I know this has been said a few times before, but reading Toward a Secret Sky, I felt like I was in a rotating vortex of Outlander meets Dan Brown, which I wasn't averse to. But to be entirely honest, I have some positive and negative things to say about this book.

Firstly, the positive. Overall, I did have fun with this one - if I can say anything for the author, I'd say she kept me very hooked. I'm always a sucker for anything Scottish Highlands, and men (0r *SPOILER* angels) in kilts! I liked the fast pacing of the novel, it felt punchy and things didn't lag. But in addition to that though, perhaps there were moments that could've benefited with a bit of fleshing out, namely some of Maren's decision making that occasionally seemed to just happen in such a flash that I was left thinking hang on, that just happened!

Now, for a couple of negatives. My main problem was that, though the story and plot kept me hooked and reading, unfortunately the character of Maren didn't engage me. I felt a lack of strong personality and motivation from her. Given everything that was happening in her world, I never felt her actions or emotions were very realistic - for example, anytime Gavin appeared, any other emotion or feeling she had a second before just disappeared! Now given, if I had a handsome Scottish highlander angel falling for me I'd get quite swoony too, but alas it just didn't allow me to connect with her. My other issue was that I felt that a lot of the paths and decisions that all the characters were taking felt like they were easy ways to advance the story but didn't feel logical based on what I understood to be their characters, particularly Maren and Gavin. Sometimes I don't have a big problem with that sort of thing, but this happened a couple more times for my liking.

But besides all that, I did enjoy the ride - and I don't know if a sequel is planned or not, but it sure feels like there is a bit more Maren and Gavin on the cards - and I'd be certainly happy to read more!

Great book. I really enjoyed reading it. I will recommend the book to patrons of my library.

Scotland. The supernatural. Love that isn't allowed. This read has it all. After Maren has lost her mom to a freak accident, she moves in with her grandparents in Scotland. In her mind she believes it to be a new beginning, somewhere to start fresh from all the loss in her life. First her father, then her mother. Then everything she thought she knew gets flipped upside down. Her parents lives were all a lie. Now their secrets have found a way into her life.

Maren comes to find letters, personal belongings that were once her mother's. Hidden messages waiting to be discovered by her, and a secret society who is bent on protecting humankind from the bad in the world. All of this makes her head spin, knowing there was much hidden from her and a gained perspective on what lurks beyond the safety of home.

Gavin is one of those secrets. More than Maren could ever imagine. His presence is felt all around her. Something that connects them both, more than either of them can understand. It's a love that moves along quickly and with an unwavering intensity. It has the ability to destroy the both of them, but Gavin's existence even more. With a firm belief in what he represents, he is jaded by a choice he feels may destroy everything he has worked hard to become.

With all of this going on, I was taken straight into this fantasy. It had good and evil in every page with a threat bigger than they imagined. A plan that could wipe out hundreds, if not millions, of innocent people. With encrypted messages Maren had to solve to get closer to the truth, and dreams that came with gruesome ends. A wide range of characters to assist in finding the solution before it all came crashing down. And trouble at every end.

And if that isn't enough, we meet characters like Jo and Hunter that make it equally compelling. Jo who is the first to befriend Maren when she had no one to turn to. Hunter who knows how it feels to be left without either of her parents. A bond is created between all of these characters and makes Toward a Secret Sky that much of a better read. Always something going on and most of the time it's on the mystical side of things.

***I received this copy from Blink via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.***