Last year was full of ups and downs for everyone. I choose to forget the down side and look at my accomplishments. First of all I published my first book "Steps to Courage". I had several book signings. I came back to school and had to add more of my books to my shelves. With 7 copies in my classroom they have all been checked out since the first day of school. I have a waiting list for my book. To me that is mind boggling.
I and several of my students participated in NaNoWriMo this last year. I am working on edits to the book I finished. It needs a lot of work. I have some stats for you in regards to my reading habits last year and they are as follows:
Total Number of Books Reviewed - 196 Total Pages Read: 48,686
Broken down as follows:
Adult - 80
Young Adult - 64
Middle Grade - 38
Children - 14
And Now The First Review Of 2012:
Glow – Amy Kathleen Ryan
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Pages: 320
Source: Received review copy from publisher
Genre: Science Fiction
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. On board 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
My Thoughts:
Two ships head off for a New Earth. Their voyage should take them about 45 years. During that time Kieran and Waverly are born on board. When they are in their teens Kieran proposes to Waverly. Girls like Waverly are encouraged to marry and have kids young. It seems that being in space for so long has caused some fertility problems.
Waverly isn’t real sure this is the route she wants to go. Her choice is taken away from her when their sister ship the New Horizon shows up beside them. Suddenly they are under attack and all the females are removed from the Empyrean and placed aboard the New Horizon. Females on the New Horizon have been unable to conceive. Due to the new situation both Kieran and Waverly are put into leadership positions. They both must make critical decisions.
This was a fabulous read. The characters are well developed. They don’t come across as fake and perfect. We see their good and bad sides. We see the mistakes they make. Kieran was always expected to be a leader but that in my opinion didn’t necessarily make him a natural leader. He and Seth both have their eyes on Waverly.
Anne Mather is the leader on the New Horizon. She has a hidden agenda. Her concern is not just for the women unable to have children. Whether you like science fiction or not I believe this has enough of a dystopian feel that those who don’t usually read science fiction will love it. The only problem is that we will have to wait until later in the year to read the second book in the series. I highly recommend this book.
Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L99-2Qq4ihw&feature=colike
About the Author From Publisher:
Amy Kathleen Ryan earned an MA in English Literature at the University of Vermont, and an MFA in Creative Writing from the New School Creative Writing for Children Program in New York City. She is also the author of two widely acclaimed young adult novels, Zen and Xander Undone and Vibes.
Link to her website: http://www.amykathleenryan.com/
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