Compelling characters (I especially love how quickly Toni latches on to different theories) and a great plot. The Toronto setting was fantastic -- I always loved it when books mention specific streets or intersections and I can picture myself there. This is part of a compelling series that I so much wish had been around when I was a kid. ( )

This was a fairly enjoyable read, aimed at a younger audience than my age group, but still worth reading. It is part of the 'Secrets' series, a series of seven linked novels that can be read in any order, each one written by a different author and focussing on one of seven orphans whose lives change after the orphanage they live in burns to the ground. 'Shattered Glass' followed Toni on her journey of discovery, which took her to Toronto in the early 1960's. Some of the characters were great and made the book worth reading. There were some quite humorous moments, a few that were tense, and enough to make it intriguing and engaging. I'd be interested to read the other books in the series, especially if they are as good as this one. ( )

I was intrigued about the premise of a series of books centering on a single event--the fire in an orphanage--and was excited to get Shattered Glass (Secrets) to begin the series. I found the story intriguing and thought there were many interesting characters (including a very colorful landlady, Grady, who made me laugh each time she entered the scene). I thought Toni, the main character, was a bit TOO naïve, but I enjoyed her story and plan to read the other stories in this series. ( )

Shattered Glass is part of the Secrets series, in which each book is about different orphans. The target audience is ages 9-12, and I think that this book is appropriate for that age group. As an older reader, the story felt contrived and clichéd, but I think that younger readers would truly enjoy reading it. I had a hard time connecting to the main character, but younger readers might not have the same issue.

Shattered Glass follows the story of Toni Royce, an orphan on a mission to reveal the mysteries of her past. Her journey takes her to Toronto, where she meets colorful characters in Toronto’s music scene and discovers her own place in it. Shattered Glass is part of a series of novels that do not need to be read in any particular order. Toni is one of seven orphans set adrift after a fire destroys their orphanage. Given three clues to her past, Toni sets out to find a family she never had any interest in knowing.

Shattered Glass is best read by its target audience of readers 9-12. It has little to offer older readers, but I like the idea of seven interconnected novels and it was entertaining enough, if predictable in its plotting and use of tropes. The main character isn't all that interesting, but she is surrounded by a few colorful, more well-developed characters. ( )