Book Reviews

Book Review: Toward a Secret Sky by Heather Maclean

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Title: Toward a Secret Sky

Author: Heather Maclean

Publisher: BLINK Harper Collins (This book is NEW. It was released April 4th!)

Goodreads Blurb:

Shortly after 17-year-old Maren Hamilton is orphaned and sent to live with grandparents she’s never met in Scotland, she receives an encrypted journal from her dead mother that makes her and everyone around her a target. It confirms that her parents were employed by a secret, international organization that’s now intent on recruiting her. As Maren works to unravel the clues left behind by her mother, a murderous madness sweeps through the local population, terrorizing her small town. Maren must decide if she’ll continue her parents’ fight or stay behind to save her friends.

With the help of Gavin, an otherworldly mercenary she’s not supposed to fall in love with, and Graham, a charming aristocrat who is entranced with her, Maren races against the clock and around the country from palatial estates with twisted labyrinths to famous cathedrals with booby-trapped subterranean crypts to stay ahead of the enemy and find a cure. Along the way, she discovers the great truth of love: that laying down your life for another isn’t as hard as watching them sacrifice everything for you

Review:

If you like books like 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, and super hot mysterious boys running around with weapons. What’s not to like?

As a writer, I particularly liked the opening chapter. It roped me in with mystery, voice, plot, and premise. Kudos there. For the rest of the story, the pace remained steady. 4180eb4e466b4f7578710dfd86b773a1

The story, being paranormal, had some twists I wasn’t expecting but it was done well. It also dealt with a few dark issues like grief (expected) and date rape (unexpected). There was a bit of the instalove romance between Maren and Gavin, (the two protagonists) considering how many times they had met, but honestly, if I met Gavin, I’m pretty sure the same thing might have happened!

As for setting, Heather Maclean, having married a Scotsman, really does culture well. I really enjoyed the Scottish atmosphere, UK accents, and trips to London. Made me want to hop on a plane to Edinburgh!

All in all, it was a fun, clean read, lovely descriptions, and I think teens everywhere will adore it.

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Review By Nova McBee

Book Review: “You Are Mine” by Janeal Falor

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Book Review: YOU ARE MINE

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Title: You Are Mine

Author: Janeal Falor

It sounds so grim. And, in many ways, it is. But this is also a story about hope, healing, and redemption.

Serena was emotionally and verbally abused since childhood. In her world, women had no rights. No voice. Serena was a “mistake”; the first of fifteen mistakes, actually. Her father wanted a son, and so he sold Serena to the highest bidder the moment she was of marriageable age. Because Serena had a lot of magic in her blood, her new owner was a man of prestige and wealth, but he was also just as cruel as her father. However, an unexpected turn of events left her fiancé dead, and Serena unwillingly transferred to the ownership of a foreign barbarian named Zade. A barbarian her father despises, and everyone distrusts. A barbarian who, she slowly realises, is kinder and more humane than any man she has ever met.

Janeal Falor’s “You Are Mine” will take you into a world of brokenness and atrocities hardly imaginable. Yet it is also a journey into hope and inner healing. It will leave you wondering, “How much of this book is based on reality?” And as you ask that question, you may also ask yourself, “Do I have the same courage to help victims like Serena find dignity?”

I picked this book up with a little trepidation, worried that the darkness might be too much. I was pleasantly surprised to find the light winning… even if only one life at a time. It is fairly well written, and I enjoyed it to the end.

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Review by Sarah Synder

Book Review: Sunset Rising

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Title: Sunset Rising Series

Author(s): S.M McEachern

Publisher: Clownfish Publishing

Genre: Dystopian, Fantasy

Rating: 4 out of 5

 

There are four main words I use for the Sunset Rising series by S.M. McEachern: I love these books.

These books will have your heart pounding on two levels. The obvious is the rich, action-packed scenes that flow seamlessly one to the other. The other is how Sunny and Jack demonstrate a heart-deep courage to be vulnerable and to change. Continue reading →

Meet Dana, Our New Staff Contributor

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Pen Friends,

Meet Dana Black! She’s our newest Staff Contributor and will be our Book Review Guru! If you’ve got a YA book you want to share with the world, send your review to Dana through our contact page!

WE give you….

Hey! I’m Dana, and I’m in love with Story.
Why does that sound like a confession? It’s not—it’s a proud declaration.
This love story began as a child of around four, when I first set foot in Narnia alongside my dad and older brother. I haven’t looked back since.

Continue reading →