Glow

I was very much invested in Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan. After just a few pages I was plunged head on into the chaotic, action packed, emotional, and gripping story of Kieran and Waverly.
My heart was palpitating non-stop throughout the whole story, and I couldn't put the book down. I was surprised that religion was incorporated into the story. There may be some controversies in the subject, but with an open mind Glow is surely a read you shouldn't miss out.
At times I was so immersed at what I was reading and what was happening that I got so angry at times and started yelling at the characters! I laughed at certain parts, and surely shed tears in more than one occasion. Glow is and emotional roller coaster I wouldn't mind riding again and show more again. It had a feel of 'Lord of The Flies' but in space, a scenario that I would rather chose to be stuck on an island than space hands down. The story also partook in serious issues such as artificial insemination, pro and cons on religious beliefs, and so much more. It really got my head spinning near the end with Waverly because she was the character I was most fond of, but in the end the most upset with. Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan is such a read that titillates all aspects of varying cognitive thought! I can't wait for Book 2!
Please Sir, I want some more (Oliver Twist ref.) =) show less

This is pretty much my first sci-fi book.

The characters are all really complex. One minute I really like them and the next Im not too sure.
Parts where Im like "NO NO NO!"

so my emotions are all over the place, but I couldn't put it down, so thats good.

Now im just left feeling confused at the end and wanting more.

This was an extremely interesting little story. Simply put, the Earth is in its final days with most of its resources spent and its life quickly running out. Two ships depart the dying planet and begin the long journey to New Earth, a distant planet that holds the promise of a new life. The ships carry with them a miniaturized version of the departed civilization, complete with the technology and resources to reestablish life as they have known it on this alien planet. It is expected, and indeed vital to their mission for the ship's people to procreate; these future generations necessary to keep their little world alive as the ship crosses unfathomable miles on a journey that will take more years than a lifetime to complete.

Two ships show more set out. One ship is alive with children, it's women fertile and the future of their people secured. The other ship houses a dying people, their women barren and unable to replenish the now aging population. Half way to New Earth, the second ship, their situation now dire, calls for a rendezvous with its sister ship...who refuses. In the midst of a distant nebula, its celestial whirlings rendering it undetectable and completely cut off from all other life, the barren ship lies in wait for the sister who refused to help...

We have several elements working in this story's favor. We have a sci-fi dystopia with breeder undertones thrown in for shock value- something you can never go wrong with. We have a strong, intelligent female lead, a male driven mutiny (that for some reason kept bringing to mind Ender's Game), and a nice little romance to tie them both together. An excellent mix and cast of characters- people to love and people to hate and an existence the likes of which one can only hope never comes to pass. While the hint of a love triangle tinges the romantic air in the story, it's not blatantly advertised in glowing, flashing neon. Ryan is giving us room to sweat and wonder. Good girl.

Now, the biggest shocker for me wasn't the religious undertones, because they were so apparent that they could hardly be considered to be hidden, nor were they so over the top that they smothered the story, but rather, and this is very hard for me to say- that they added to the story in ways that it would have been lacking without. If you've been with me for awhile you'll know that I DO NOT appreciate religion in my fantasy fiction, and yet, I saw the need in regards to this story. I enjoyed the inclusion. It made everything all the more vital, their cause all the more righteous and it opened the door for some vastly refreshing and unique heroes and villains.

I approve of this being a series (not all books warrant one) and I can't wait for the next book. Things are going to happen, not to mention the bigger picture- discovering a new planet and I'm ready for it. When might we have it Miz Amy? show less

GLOW was a book where the cover and synopsis had been hooked. I put other books aside to read it. They say don’t judge a book on its cover, but I did anyway, and this was one of the few cases where I ended up being disappointed. This review has taken me several hours to write, something so unusual for me, because it alternated between being a great book for me and pissing me off.

Many YA books recently (see my review of DROUGHT by Pam Bachorz) have tackled religion as a key plot point. GLOW’s depiction of Christianity was what almost ruined this book for me. It was almost a fallacy, using Christianity as an excuse for evil actions. The antagonist of this story is the Pastor/leader of the other ship, the New Horizon. They come to the show more Empyrean, home of our protagonist Waverly, and kidnap all the girls to solve their fertility issues while sabotaging the ship, killing the adults, and leaving the boys to run the ship once the remaining adults sacrifice themselves to prevent a meltdown.

SPOILER WARNING!!!

The logic of the ship states that the religious people were put on one ship and the secular (and Muslims) on the second, yet Kieran, the main male character, becomes a religious leader on the Empyrean at the end. His family was noticeably religious and by the end he has converted the boys in one fell swoop – after one SPEECH – to Christianity and calls his work God’s work, basically mimicking what happened on the New Horizon. The logic here was…not really present.

SPOILER HAS ENDED

There is a love triangle in this book, but not so much instalove – it has been set up that Waverly and Kieran were a couple beforehand, more so out of expectation than true love. At the beginning their relationship is almost refreshing, showing Waverly’s doubts about their relationship but setting up a scenario that is believable. However, Kieran becomes increasingly week and possibly a little unstable (crazy). The other love interest, Seth, is just purely insane. His methods are sadistic and his excuses are lies. He beats, tortures, imprisons, and almost kills people. Of course, it is expected that Waverly will pick one by the end, but I honestly think she shouldn’t based on book one.

What saves this book? The writing. I am honestly not one for frilly, overwrought literature. I like some description and florid enhancement, but I had it beaten over my head by my lit professor that purple prose was Satan’s work. This is my kind of writing – a little lyrical at times, but mostly straightforward, to the point, and eloquent. Ms. Ryan is my type of author for sure. It’s just the plot that falters. Waverly is also a strong protagonist that I enjoyed. She was smart, she was a strong leader, and she knew what she was doing. She risked herself for others and had a mission. I loved her as a character while I quite hated her potential suitors.

This book needed to tone down the religion a great deal. I am not sure if I will read book two based on the fact it implies that religion will be a strong point in the second book. Also, Waverly’s love interests were unlikable.

I could go on about this (and I will on Goodreads – check out my review there for more), but overall, this book was likable, but nowhere near as good as it could have been.

VERDICT: The overuse of religion in this book overran the interesting plot and the good writing from Ms. Ryan. If you are not big on religious bashing and/or preachiness, steer clear of this book show less

I received an advance copy of this book through Goodreads! Amy Kathleen Ryan takes young adult novels where few have previously tread- deep into outer space. The first book in her new series, Sky Chasers, Ryan offers her readers a look into a dog-eat-dog future of desperation, uncertainty, and just a little bit of faith and hope. Two young lovers traveling across the universe on the Empyrean, one of two space ships on a mission to revive the human race on a planet called "New Earth", are forced to grow up when thrown into violence and unimaginable danger at the hand of the captain of their sister ship, the New Horizon. Although written for a teenage audience, it's graphic and violent and features more adult themes such as duty to show more society, religious faith, bravery in the face of opposition, and questions the morality of advanced human fertility practices. While I saw the necessity of religion in the overall plot of the book, I did find it to be a little too preachy in a couple places.

By taking her characters out of the world we know and placing them into the fantastic unknown of deep space, Ryan had the opportunity to carve her own world out of uncharted territory. She fully took advantage of this situation and puts the reader directly into her own interpretation of life in a space ship- from the design and structure of the ship itself to the social structure, hive mind, and a level of desperation that we don't always get the chance to feel with our feet planted firmly on planet Earth.

I was very impressed by the level of passion in the characters' emotions. I felt equally as angry as Kieran for being held prisoner for crimes he feels he did not commit, and as hurt and devastated as Waverly, defiled and held against her will aboard a captive vessel. I found that Ryan's descriptive writing style, especially while conveying a character's deep inner feelings, ignited real emotion in myself- it actually felt like I was the one being wronged rather than simply reading about events in the life of a fictional person. I wanted to jump into the pages and deal out the justice the protagonists so badly wanted.

As in any other novel catering to a young adult audience, Glow is also a love story. Thankfully, it's a more realistic romance than other books of the genre. The author doesn't dwell as much on the blind romance of two teenagers, paying fair attention to the more pressing conflicts in the story. Waverly, a nearly 16-year old girl, maintains rational thinking and isn't blinded by her young love for her betrothed, Kieran. This balance reminds the reader that while there is a little romance, there are more critical issues at hand to be dealt with. I greatly appreciated the lack of mushy love scenes and professions of undying love, as those would naturally be absent in the situation these kids are thrown into, though it is by no means void of heart-felt moments of love and yearning.

I don't give five stars very often, but I feel this novel really deserves it. The end left me wanting more but, alas, I must wait. It's one of the best books I have read this year and I truly look forward to the release of its sequel! show less

Glow completely blew my mind. I was hoping that the gorgeous cover wasn't hiding a mediocre book and I can now say for certain that it wasn't! I loved this book and I now have yet another series to follow obsessively. While Glow is a science fiction novel, it's not heavy on the science and is much more about people and how they react under different circumstances. While it wasn't exactly what I was expecting, I was very happy with what I found!

This book follows our two young protagonists- Waverly and Kieran- as life as they know it falls to pieces. They're on board a space ship, heading far away from Earth towards their destination, ''New Earth'' where they plan on building up civilization again. I really find the idea of the human race show more having to relocate due to earth becoming uninhabitable fascinating so really enjoyed this aspect of the story. I wish we had found out more details about what happened to earth in order to cause all these people to head to space but it is a series so I'm hoping we learn more as it goes on!

Glow was a book that completely transported me to another world. I found it so easy to lose myself in the pages and forget about everything else around me. The author's writing is descriptive without over-doing it and I could picture the ship and space perfectly. It's really fast paced and full of tension and suspense. I didn't want to put the book down because I really needed to know how things were going to go!

I found it really scary seeing the things people would do to get their way. Both Waverly's ship and the other ship have people who are not so nice and will stop at nothing to get what they want. When the people of the New Horizon stole all the girls from the Empryrean, I was freaking out for them! They wanted all the girls as they are not longer able to conceive. The lengths they go to are quite disgusting and I really felt for the young girls stuck on the ship. The boys ship doesn't fare much better as they all turn on each other since they've been left without parents. It's really chaos all around and it was fascinating to read about!

I definitely enjoyed this book. I found I connected better with Waverly than Kieran and that she had a stronger voice and was a better character all round. I will be eagerly awaiting book two in this series which is being published later this year! show less

{ I received this book for free as a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. Review originally posted on my blog, PidginPea's Book Nook. }

I was a little skeptical of the lines on the back cover claiming that Glow starts "the most riveting series since the Hunger Games." Those sorts of hooks always rub me the wrong way - I know it's to draw readers in, but I can't help feeling like it's a sneaky sales pitch. Like if they have to say it, it's probably not true. So I started Glow a little hesitantly... but wow. This book is definitely the start of something big. Glow is equally as captivating and emotional and addictive as the Hunger Games books, but in its own unique dystopic world with its own powerful messages.

The synopsis covers about the show more first quarter of the book. Everything is laid out nicely: we're introduced to Waverly and Kieran, the perfect couple, or so everyone thinks; to Seth, and the "what if"s in Waverly's mind about him; to the Empyrean and how they all came to be aboard it; and to the impending threat from the New Horizon. And then the attack comes. All the girls are taken aboard the New Horizon, leaving the boys behind on the Empyrean, and the adults are incapacitated or lost. It's up to the children and teens to find a way to reunite, and to survive.

Are you hooked yet? Because by this point in the book, I couldn't put it down.

The action is non-stop. The narration shifts from Waverly on the New Horizon to Kieran on the Empyrean, following them both as they struggle to set things right, and to try to figure out what "right" is. There are a lot of mature situations they have to deal with. It's a discussion of ethics while in survival mode. What is right and wrong? Who becomes the leader and who becomes the follower? How much do you take before you stand up for yourself, and what lengths do you go to to fight for what you think is right?

Unexpectedly, religion is discussed as well. The New Horizon is more faith-based than the Empyrean; the leader of the New Horizon is not called "captain," she is called "pastor." But, as things begin to change and power begins to shift on the Empyrean, religion begins to play a larger role there as well. And then, at the end, everything turns on its head, and what you thought you knew about who was good and who was not, and what was right and what was wrong, all gets mixed up until you're just as conflicted as the characters themselves.

Glow is a beautiful, powerful, tragic book that covers a whole range of emotions and issues. It makes you think, it makes you feel, and it makes you tear through the pages at lightning speed to find out what happens next. I'm completely hooked on this series and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book, Spark. show less