Glow (Sky Chasers #1) by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Title:  Glow (Sky Chasers #1) 

Author:  Amy Kathleen Ryan

Genre:  Young Adult Science Fiction

Publisher:  St. Martin’s Griffin 

Format/Pages:  Paperback (ARC)/307 pages

Release Date:  September 13, 2011

The New Horizon and its sister ship, the Empyrean, are traveling through space, bound for New Earth.  But the families on the Empyrean have something those on the New Horizon do not have, and they will do anything to acquire it. Now a violent battle has forced the separation of two young lovers, the hope of a new planet torn apart. Everything depends on their survival. But that survival will come at a cost much higher than anyone could have anticipated.

I am not normally a science fiction fan, which made me hesitant to read this. I must have picked it up and set it down about 20 times while hanging out in the library at the junior high where I work. Then one day, I managed to go to work without a book OR my Kindle. I’m not sure how this happened—I think it was the combination of lack of coffee and my nerves being in hyper-drive because my daughter was driving us to school for the first time—but I walked out the door without my bag of books. It wasn’t until second hour that I realized I was bookless, so I rushed into the library and grabbed this book off of the rack near my dear friend the librarian’s desk. I figured I would at least have something to read for the day and then I could return it. Umm, yeah, so didn’t happen like that.

This book is in a word, FANTASTIC! I’m not sure how else to describe it without sounding like one of those clichéd book promotions—“couldn’t put it down” or “jaw-dropping.” But really, that is how I felt. The characters are captivating and they literally keep you guessing as to their motivations. I went back and forth between trusting and not trusting so many of the characters so many times that I began to question every thing, about every one.  The plot twists and turns, pulling your emotions first one way and then the other. Ryan has a knack for writing a book that keeps you guessing, and forces you to run the gamut of emotions. She weaves a story like no other I have recently read. And she does it with out bringing in any monsters (well, inhuman monsters anyway), aliens or paranormal baddies to scare the bejesus out of us. And yes, this book did scare me. The possibilities it brings to light are just downright frightening. It makes you believe anyone can become a monster if the circumstances allow it. 

Don’t pass this book by because you dislike or are unsure about science fiction books. I almost did and that would have been something to regret.