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Secrets #6
Shattered Glass (Secrets) by Teresa Toten
Fake courage is better than no courage at all.Toni has always had nightmares about fire, and she also has burn scars but no idea how she got them. So when fire destroys the orphanage she has grown up in, she is ready to make her way to Toronto, where she hopes to discover the truth about the mother she believes hurt and then abandoned her. Toronto proves to be both daunting and exciting for Toni, whose charm and innocence attract attention—not always positive—wherever she goes. Buoyed by the music she hears at the folk club where she finds a job, and encouraged by her glamorous landlady, Toni unearths shocking information that contradicts everything she believes and makes her re-evaluate what she feels for all the new people in her life.
Mass Market Paperback
First published September 29, 2015
16 people are currently reading
401 people want to read
About the author
Teresa Toten
13 books211 followersMy earliest and most fervent ambition was to grow up and take my rightful place among the other mermaids. When cruel and insensitive adults crushed that dream by insisting that mermaids did not exist, I settled on the more mature aspiration of becoming an intergalactic astronaut. Then I realized that math would likely be involved. So, in the end, I went to Trinity College at the University of Toronto where I got a BA and then an MA in Political Economy taking great care not to take a single English or Creative Writing class. The only thing I knew for sure was that I was never ever going to be a writer. That would be silly, fanciful and well, unrealistic. And then I started to write...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
February 6, 2017
'Was there no end to my stupidity?'
No, Toni, there isn't.
Remember when I said Small Bones was the book I liked the least in this series? I take that back. I don't think I've ever read a ya book with such a stupid, annoyingly naive character in a while. Toni is 17, seventeen, and doesn't know words or phrases that even children would understand. She constantly makes stupid assumptions about people and just decides that a singing star is her long lost father because they had the same eye colour, and becuase he could sing.
Was the author trying too hard to make her seem 'innocent'? Yes!
Why was she so gullible to the point where she went to an underage prostitution party, but also believed that her long lost mother had tried to kill her? Wouldn't she be more cynical? I mean she believed her own mum tried to burn her and shove her in glass for fourteen years, how is she so trusting and naive? Doesn't make sense to me.
The plot itself wasn't even too bad! It was Toni that ruined the whole story. This would have been great to read if anyone else was the leading character.
Her love interest Ethan wasn't too bad, but I can't see why they 'love' each other or why Ethan would like someone as ridiculously stupid as Toni. This girl thought she and Ethan were brother and sister ffs! She based her ideas off the fact that she could FEEL it, rather than actual facts.
The words too stupid to live have never been more appropriate. I don't even want this book in my house to be honest. I've got to get rid of it.
No, Toni, there isn't.
Remember when I said Small Bones was the book I liked the least in this series? I take that back. I don't think I've ever read a ya book with such a stupid, annoyingly naive character in a while. Toni is 17, seventeen, and doesn't know words or phrases that even children would understand. She constantly makes stupid assumptions about people and just decides that a singing star is her long lost father because they had the same eye colour, and becuase he could sing.
Was the author trying too hard to make her seem 'innocent'? Yes!
Why was she so gullible to the point where she went to an underage prostitution party, but also believed that her long lost mother had tried to kill her? Wouldn't she be more cynical? I mean she believed her own mum tried to burn her and shove her in glass for fourteen years, how is she so trusting and naive? Doesn't make sense to me.
The plot itself wasn't even too bad! It was Toni that ruined the whole story. This would have been great to read if anyone else was the leading character.
Her love interest Ethan wasn't too bad, but I can't see why they 'love' each other or why Ethan would like someone as ridiculously stupid as Toni. This girl thought she and Ethan were brother and sister ffs! She based her ideas off the fact that she could FEEL it, rather than actual facts.
The words too stupid to live have never been more appropriate. I don't even want this book in my house to be honest. I've got to get rid of it.
April 18, 2018
When Toni’s orphanage burns down in the early 1960s, she’s sent to live on her own in Toronto leaving behind her six closest friends. She’s determined to search for information about her parents, never expecting to find a family of new friends.
SHATTERED GLASS is one of seven books about the young adults left behind in the orphanage fire and sent to live alone. I’m normally a big Teresa Toten fan and disappointed to say SHATTERED GLASS was barely readable.
Toni’s naïveté bordered in ridiculous. I get that she was sheltered and unworldly having grown up in an orphanage with little exposure to the outside world. I understand the early 1960s are a much different time than today, though I grew up in a sheltered small town in the 60s and 70s. Toni wasn’t too quick picking up on cues, although she was a bright young woman. I loved all the minor characters as well as Toten’s writing.
I don’t recommend SHATTERED GLASS, although if you want to read a gem, Toten’s BEWARE THAT GIRL is stellar.
SHATTERED GLASS is one of seven books about the young adults left behind in the orphanage fire and sent to live alone. I’m normally a big Teresa Toten fan and disappointed to say SHATTERED GLASS was barely readable.
Toni’s naïveté bordered in ridiculous. I get that she was sheltered and unworldly having grown up in an orphanage with little exposure to the outside world. I understand the early 1960s are a much different time than today, though I grew up in a sheltered small town in the 60s and 70s. Toni wasn’t too quick picking up on cues, although she was a bright young woman. I loved all the minor characters as well as Toten’s writing.
I don’t recommend SHATTERED GLASS, although if you want to read a gem, Toten’s BEWARE THAT GIRL is stellar.
August 1, 2015
While I'd read Teresa Toten's collaboration with Eric Walters, The Taming, Shattered Glass is my first foray into a book written purely by this award-winning Canadian author.
From the description and Toni's nightmares - something that some of the MC's in the other Secrets Series books mentioned - I was expecting a very dark book. There certainly are some moments where the reader finds themselves imagining the worst, such as when Toni reads her hospital release form for the first time. However, one of the things that I loved most was how hilarious this book was at many points along Toni's quest. She is described by her landlady, Grady, several times as appearing to have stepped into Toronto in 1964 from another century or as having stepped directly out of Charles Dickens' novel. She is very naïve and despite knowing a lot about popular music, she is completely clueless when it comes to many words, people, and lifestyles that are common in large cities. I'm certain that she would've had trouble getting around even a small town like Hope, Ontario without misunderstanding one or several things she hears though.
The comedic elements which pepper most of the middle portion of Shattered Glass, including the missteps and fantasies she has about her father, romance, and revenge against Ethan for making her feel stupid, are very necessary. Nor was I expecting that Mrs. Hazelton and Joe would give such detailed information about what Toni should do to get to Toronto to begin her search and what she should (or shouldn't) do along the way seemed odd to me at first because they hadn't acted this way with the other young ladies. However, once I saw how she got through the world (or didn't), I became very clear that they thought she needed this step-by-step guidance whereas the others didn't.
The comedic moments help balance the very difficult and emotional scenes at other points. Without them, this book might've been as excruciating as the pain a burn victim goes through while they are awaiting and healing from skin grafts. With them, the painful moments are appropriately balanced and heart wrenching, but not impossible to bare. You may find your heart hurting for what Toni has gone through, what she thinks has happened to her, and even for what Rachel eloquently explains are part of the universal experience of girls and women when she says the "shame bits" are "part of being a woman."
At the same time, there are moments where she clearly has grown into a beautiful girl who has everything that she needs to be who she's meant to be. I loved her letters to Joe and Betty and am interested to see how Betty's story interacts with this one.
From the description and Toni's nightmares - something that some of the MC's in the other Secrets Series books mentioned - I was expecting a very dark book. There certainly are some moments where the reader finds themselves imagining the worst, such as when Toni reads her hospital release form for the first time. However, one of the things that I loved most was how hilarious this book was at many points along Toni's quest. She is described by her landlady, Grady, several times as appearing to have stepped into Toronto in 1964 from another century or as having stepped directly out of Charles Dickens' novel. She is very naïve and despite knowing a lot about popular music, she is completely clueless when it comes to many words, people, and lifestyles that are common in large cities. I'm certain that she would've had trouble getting around even a small town like Hope, Ontario without misunderstanding one or several things she hears though.
The comedic elements which pepper most of the middle portion of Shattered Glass, including the missteps and fantasies she has about her father, romance, and revenge against Ethan for making her feel stupid, are very necessary. Nor was I expecting that Mrs. Hazelton and Joe would give such detailed information about what Toni should do to get to Toronto to begin her search and what she should (or shouldn't) do along the way seemed odd to me at first because they hadn't acted this way with the other young ladies. However, once I saw how she got through the world (or didn't), I became very clear that they thought she needed this step-by-step guidance whereas the others didn't.
The comedic moments help balance the very difficult and emotional scenes at other points. Without them, this book might've been as excruciating as the pain a burn victim goes through while they are awaiting and healing from skin grafts. With them, the painful moments are appropriately balanced and heart wrenching, but not impossible to bare. You may find your heart hurting for what Toni has gone through, what she thinks has happened to her, and even for what Rachel eloquently explains are part of the universal experience of girls and women when she says the "shame bits" are "part of being a woman."
At the same time, there are moments where she clearly has grown into a beautiful girl who has everything that she needs to be who she's meant to be. I loved her letters to Joe and Betty and am interested to see how Betty's story interacts with this one.
February 6, 2020
My least favourite of the series, but still worthwhile.
March 6, 2016
3.5 Stars
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the story of a young girl named Toni, who was orphaned at the age of three. The orphanage that she was raised in burns down and she is forced to leave the comfort of what she called home and the "sisters" that she grew to know and love over the years.
Upon reaching the city, she sets her sights on finding out where she came from and what happened to her that caused her to have burn scars on her body. She is constantly haunted by nightmares and memories of what she believes to be her own mother causing her harm.
I found this book to be quite enjoyable. It was fast paced and I grew to love many of the characters, quirks and all. However, I got pretty annoyed with the main character, Toni, quite a lot. I had to keep reminding myself that she had a sheltered life, hence the reason for her naivety. Still, it did bother me how gullible she was and how trusting she was especially when you take into account her past. She believes that her mother tried to kill her, so I would think that she would be a bit more apprehensive toward others.
Despite that fact, I thought that this book was well written and very intriguing. I was unable to guess the outcome, which is always a plus. I absolutely loved the conclusion to this story and found it to very uplifting. Overall, a very enjoyable read.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the story of a young girl named Toni, who was orphaned at the age of three. The orphanage that she was raised in burns down and she is forced to leave the comfort of what she called home and the "sisters" that she grew to know and love over the years.
Upon reaching the city, she sets her sights on finding out where she came from and what happened to her that caused her to have burn scars on her body. She is constantly haunted by nightmares and memories of what she believes to be her own mother causing her harm.
I found this book to be quite enjoyable. It was fast paced and I grew to love many of the characters, quirks and all. However, I got pretty annoyed with the main character, Toni, quite a lot. I had to keep reminding myself that she had a sheltered life, hence the reason for her naivety. Still, it did bother me how gullible she was and how trusting she was especially when you take into account her past. She believes that her mother tried to kill her, so I would think that she would be a bit more apprehensive toward others.
Despite that fact, I thought that this book was well written and very intriguing. I was unable to guess the outcome, which is always a plus. I absolutely loved the conclusion to this story and found it to very uplifting. Overall, a very enjoyable read.
June 3, 2016
Fabulous. So fab. I'm a big fan of Tony and Ethan and every character in this book, but especially the Lady Grady. Audio reader for her voice was spot on and wonderful.
PS Toronto never seemed so cool.
PS Toronto never seemed so cool.
October 18, 2022
Finished in a day!
I found the main character Toni, to be a wise and thoughtful person, she knows to hold her tongue and how to be brave. It was a wonderful book and I will re-read in the future for sure!
I found the main character Toni, to be a wise and thoughtful person, she knows to hold her tongue and how to be brave. It was a wonderful book and I will re-read in the future for sure!
August 21, 2018
What an amazing gripping flashback in time! Unexpected twists and co sequences will compelle any reader to a nail biting end!
Highly recommended 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Highly recommended 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
February 20, 2020
This book was so horrible and every single plot of the story line felt so forced. The story is in first person perspective, meaning that we can see all of Toni’s thoughts. Every single plot point was seen by at least 200 pages beforehand. And the book is barely 200 pages long.
The main climax was obvious from the moment Toni met Cassidy. It was so stupid and the fact that Toni can’t do anything for herself and is so much of an idiot she won’t even listen to her gut or Ethan is ridiculous. She doesn’t know any slang at all even though she listens to the radio “all day, every day”.
This books leaves readers with a horrible ending and I do not recommend reading this book.
0/5 if I could.
The main climax was obvious from the moment Toni met Cassidy. It was so stupid and the fact that Toni can’t do anything for herself and is so much of an idiot she won’t even listen to her gut or Ethan is ridiculous. She doesn’t know any slang at all even though she listens to the radio “all day, every day”.
This books leaves readers with a horrible ending and I do not recommend reading this book.
0/5 if I could.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2017
I couldn't have held greater disdain for such a novel.
November 3, 2022
trying to get rid of a bunch of YA books I bought while in my online shopping addiction phase #2
This has been a 2 star series for me all the way through.
This has been a 2 star series for me all the way through.
August 14, 2024
(1/5) i’ve been doing this thing where i pick up random (short) books from the library in order to “expand my horizons”.
it worked with me and earl and the dying girl. this book on the other hand…
oh boy. this book has one of the stupidest characters i have ever been forced to read about. i get that she grew up in an orphanage and was very sheltered but that does not excuse her inability to use common sense. not understanding all the slang that the torontonians use is one thing but to be so downright dumb about literally everything is a whole other ballpark.
i didnt know this book took place in ontario and i was so excited when i found out the majority of it is set in toronto which i did really like. i also liked how each chapter is labeled with a song from the time period. the problem i have is that i dont really see any relevance to the music being mentioned. toni mentions multiple times how much she loves music with her only piece of evidence being that she listens to the radio sometimes. i get that music is very culturally relevant to the time period and there are a lot of musicians in this story but i wouldnt say the theme of music is very strong, so while i like that there are songs mentioned i didnt really see much of a point.
im also not really sure why this book takes place in the '60s. there is one event in this book that i think might be a historical event so maybe that is why? but honestly i dont think this book would be changed very much if it took place today.
this book is a mystery revolving around toni's parents but this mystery is so uninteresting. good mysteries revolve around attaining new pieces of evidence that help the main character solve the mystery by the end of the novel. but toni has the thing that will help her solve the mystery the entire time. she spends so much time speculating instead of actually investigating and asking questions. she jumps to (incorrect) conclusions and it was so annoying because i knew she was wrong every time she thought she was right because she makes all her decisions off hunches that are clearly delusional. that was pretty annoying.
so yeah i did not like this book at all and i am ashamed that it takes place in canada. i need more people to write canadian books because why do they always let me down?
it worked with me and earl and the dying girl. this book on the other hand…
oh boy. this book has one of the stupidest characters i have ever been forced to read about. i get that she grew up in an orphanage and was very sheltered but that does not excuse her inability to use common sense. not understanding all the slang that the torontonians use is one thing but to be so downright dumb about literally everything is a whole other ballpark.
i didnt know this book took place in ontario and i was so excited when i found out the majority of it is set in toronto which i did really like. i also liked how each chapter is labeled with a song from the time period. the problem i have is that i dont really see any relevance to the music being mentioned. toni mentions multiple times how much she loves music with her only piece of evidence being that she listens to the radio sometimes. i get that music is very culturally relevant to the time period and there are a lot of musicians in this story but i wouldnt say the theme of music is very strong, so while i like that there are songs mentioned i didnt really see much of a point.
im also not really sure why this book takes place in the '60s. there is one event in this book that i think might be a historical event so maybe that is why? but honestly i dont think this book would be changed very much if it took place today.
this book is a mystery revolving around toni's parents but this mystery is so uninteresting. good mysteries revolve around attaining new pieces of evidence that help the main character solve the mystery by the end of the novel. but toni has the thing that will help her solve the mystery the entire time. she spends so much time speculating instead of actually investigating and asking questions. she jumps to (incorrect) conclusions and it was so annoying because i knew she was wrong every time she thought she was right because she makes all her decisions off hunches that are clearly delusional. that was pretty annoying.
so yeah i did not like this book at all and i am ashamed that it takes place in canada. i need more people to write canadian books because why do they always let me down?
October 27, 2018
Spoiler Alert: Shattered Glass was my second Teresa Toten read and was complited with e-audiobook. I found the read too fast at times and unfortunately, the speed could not go any slower. However, I saw a commonality with the other Toten book I read which was mystery. This one was about Antoinette "Toni" Royce at sixteen in 1964. She is a sixteen year old, recently manumitted, orphan who is trying to unlock secrets from her past. The themes of fire and shattered glass are recurring both as the reason why she was released from her damaged orphan home as a teen and also the reason why she was first sent to the orphanage, she is the survivor of a terrible incident. What I loved about this book was that each chapter was the title of a song from the era. I went on youtube to listen to them while the story unfolded. I really liked that. Toni is very innocent to the workings of downtown Toronto and through her eyes, I learned a lot about my city's past.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 25, 2017
it was an amazing book i enjoyed every part of it when i read the book i thought it was relatable at the very least yes maybe Toni was a bit over the top with assumptions but guess what she has the full authority to be. Yes she makes foolish decisions but who hasn't? She has lived in a orphanage her whole life and now she is sucked to a place where she is alone has to deal with people who believe marriage is the only solution. I can relate with her so much and perspectives differ the time frame was 1946 not 2017.
May 10, 2017
This is the first book I read in the 'Secrets' series, and so far I like it the best (I'm about 1/2 way through). Toten is such a refreshing writer. I like the way she begins each chapter with a song from the era, and her sense of humour keeps her character and the story development from becoming too sugary. The voice actor does a great job portraying Toni's personality.
March 7, 2021
This is my second time reading through the series and I was never as fond of this book as the others, however it wasn't bad. It was a good book that flowed nicely. The main character was overly naive at times but it didn't take away from the overall story. If you were to read any book from this series I would recommend "Innocent" by Eric Walters
April 11, 2023
Not a fan of historical fiction in general, but it was about a person in another time as opposed to an event in time, so that made this better. (though I guess an event in time was relevant to it, and I wasn't a fan of that).
Anyway, this is good if you want to be entertained without really thinking. Generic characters and a basic plot, but the execution is good.
Anyway, this is good if you want to be entertained without really thinking. Generic characters and a basic plot, but the execution is good.
June 7, 2017
Although I did enjoy this book, I thought the character was a little too naive. Being raised in an orphanage, I would assume she would be a little more knowledgeable than the author made her seem. I think the best part was her learning more about her parents.
May 9, 2017
This book is : Historical fiction
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was very interesting reading about Toni's life as an orphan and her journey to try and find her mom.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was very interesting reading about Toni's life as an orphan and her journey to try and find her mom.
June 6, 2017
This was good. Omg tho the main characters judgement is sooo cringe.
August 27, 2018
I read this book a couple of years ago and truly enjoyed it.
November 13, 2018
It's another great story!!! I just love this series and I can't wait to read the rest of them! Every book had its own style and I don't think five stars are enough to show my love for them.
June 17, 2020
It wasn't bad for a YA novel. Good for 12 year olds but just too ridiculous.
January 24, 2021
Nice audiobook about a young girl trying to find her birth parents after being in foster care for 14 years. In the meantime she figures out what it means to be family.
November 5, 2021
AMAZING SO GOOD AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
March 21, 2023
It was frustrating how incredibly naive Tony was.
She literally knew nothing and then was just thrown into the world.
Also, she felt a little too desperate to find her family. Like she thought everyone she met was her missing parents. Come on.
She literally knew nothing and then was just thrown into the world.
Also, she felt a little too desperate to find her family. Like she thought everyone she met was her missing parents. Come on.
August 16, 2025
Remembered this book from 8th grade, it was the first time I liked realistic fiction, beautifully written
October 18, 2025
Really not good
October 22, 2016
This is one of the 2016-2017 Red Maple nominated books. It is a good read that students will enjoy.
February 22, 2017
Shattered Glass is about an orphan girl who travels to Toronto in order to find her family. She is looking to solve a handful of questions that only her parents know the answer to. For example, why her body is covered in scars ? The only problem is that she doesn't know where they are. I thought it was a great book because it a mystery, it moves fast, and it is a funny. Although you read a lot about a girl walking around the streets of Toronto, this story is bigger than that. It is about a girl determined to find her family in order to reunite and live together again. t is a heartfelt story that will keep you hooked the whole time.I would recommend this book for anyone who wants a mysterious, fast moving book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews