Book Review: Spark by Amy Kathleen Ryan

After a desperate escape from the enemy ship, Waverly has finally made it back to the Empyrean. The memory of home has been keeping her alive for the past months… but home is nothing like she left it. Forced to leave their captive parents behind on the New Horizon, she’s returned only to find that Kieran has become a strict leader and turned the crew against Seth. What happened to the Kieran she thought she knew? Now Waverly’s not sure whom she can trust. And the one person she wants to believe in is darkly brilliant Seth, the ship’s supposed enemy. Waverly knows that the situation will only get worse until they can rescue their parents – but how?

Before they have time to make a plan, an explosion rocks the Empyrean, and Seth and Waverly are targeted as the prime suspects. Can they find the true culprit before Kieran locks them away… or worse? Will Waverly follow her heart, even if it puts lives at risk? Now more than ever, every step could bring them closer to a new beginning – or a sudden end. (Description from amazon.com)

Spark has been on my "Must Read" list as soon as I finished the first book in the Sky Chasers series, Glow. I eagerly awaited its release and then waited for my dear friend Rebecca to finish it and give it to me :) I loved this book as equally as the first, maybe more.

Spark picks up just about where Glow left off. Waverly is back on the Empyrean after failing to rescue the adults who are on their rival ship, New Horizon.  She comes back to the Empyrean to find that Kieran has become an aggressive, almost cult like leader. She realizes the person she loved and trusted no longer exists. Seth, who lead the Empyrean in  the first book, has taken it upon himself to save the ship from a lurking stranger.  Waverly decides to believe Seth and helps him out.  She is also battling her own demons and she shows a side of herself that she never knew existed. What I think is most successful is how the author takes all the main characters and changes them immensely from the first book to the second. It will be interesting to see what changes they make in book 3.

I'm glad that Amy Kathleen Ryan frequently reminded the readers exactly how young Waverly, Kieran, Seth and the other kids actually are, you tend to forget that no one is over the age of 16. They are placed in very adult situations and are forced to make very mature decisions. That is what makes this series so fascinating to me. I am not much of a sci-fi girl but I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Looking forward to #3. Too bad I have to wait until Summer of 2013.