Guest Review: Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Title: GLOW

Series: Sky Chasers #1

Author: Amy Kathleen Ryan

Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

Publication Date: 7 Oct 2011

Synopsis from Goodreads

What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...

Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside.

Old World isn't going to last much longer, hundreds of people set off in 2 spaceships in search of a New World to live on. Waverly and Kieran are the first of a new generation born in space, they fall in love. Wrenched apart when Waverly is taken captive by strangers. They have to fight for their very survival.

As you can see the main characters a re Waverly and Kieran. Waverly is captured by strangers from the other space ship sent from Old World, the Ship of Liars. She has to find a way to escape. Meanwhile, Kieran hes been left to save the other ship, fight for his life and deal with cold-hearted rivals as many of the ships adults die or disappear. Waverly is my favorite character not only because she was courageous and clever but also isn't influenced by others, she makes her own decisions based on the things she finds out for herself. 

My favorite part of this book was when Waverly outsmarted the Pastor of the foreign ship. Secret messages hidden within poems was an extremely clever idea. After all the terror, grief and occasionally boredom she has suffered, it was exciting to see her overcome these problems and come up with a daring plan. Although I have to say I really disliked the way in which Waverly reacted to Kieran at the end of the book. I thought it made her quite selfish.

I would have liked to have seen Kieran act differently to Seth, it was a case of fighting fire with fire when they should have tried to be friends and overcome their differences.

I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. Exciting and thrilling.