A Review for Spark (Sky Chasers #2) by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Posted by Donna

Expected Release Date: August 2nd, 2012

Finished Date: August 3rd, 2012

Publishers: Macmilliam

Source: For Review

Format: Paperback

Pages: 375
Buy : Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

Waverly and Kieran are finally reunited on the Empyrean. Kieran has led the boys safely up to this point, and now that the girls are back, their mission seems slightly less impossible: to chase down the New Horizon, and save their parents from the enemy ship. But nothing is truly as it seems…Kieran’s leadership methods have raised Seth’s hackles— and Waverly’s suspicions. Is this really her fiancé? The handsome, loving boy she was torn from just a short time before? More and more, she finds her thoughts aligned with Seth’s. But if Seth is Kieran’s Enemy No. 1, what does that make her? 
In one night, a strange explosion rocks the Empyrean—shooting them off course and delaying their pursuit of the New Horizon—and Seth is mysteriously released from the brig. Seth is the most obvious suspect for the explosion, and Waverly the most obvious suspect for releasing him. As the tension reaches a boiling point, will Seth be able to find the true culprit before Kieran locks them both away—or worse? Will Waverly follow her heart, even if it puts lives at risk? With the balance of power precarious and the clock ticking, every decision counts… every step brings them closer to a new beginning, or a sudden end...

The Review: Spark....I'll put it plain and simple - I LOVED IT! I don't know how Amy Kathleen Ryan does it, I can remember reading Glow when it was first released, and while reading it, I was a bundle of nerves. Amy has a way words that sets you're whole body on fire  and Spark is nothing short of amazing. 

After the shocking events in Glow, the Empyrean are trying to move on with their lives and get things back to as normal as possible. However, with the New Horizon far from everyone's minds, the goal is to chase it down and save everyone's. Meanwhile, Seth escapes from the brig and someone on board is killing people, it's becoming more and more dangerous on board. And not only that Waverly drifts further apart from Kieran and closer to Seth. But the big questions are can they find the killer in time? And can they rescue their parents? 

Spark is a pulse-quickening, dangerous, and heart-breaking read which makes this a fantastic sequel in my book. I'm amazed and astonished by how unpredictable this story is and everything I loved about Glow is turned upside down - but definitely for the better. There's definitely some jaw-dropping moments and I can't believe how my feelings have changed. The people I once loved, I now hate and the people that I hated, I now love. Yes, I'm talking about Kieran and Seth. I was reading my review for Glow and I can't believe what I wrote;

"Kieran is down to earth and he’d be the first to tell you, he doesn’t know where to start on running the ship. Yes, he makes mistakes but who doesn’t. I love his integrity and how he always manages to have hope and I really love his and Waverly’s relationship because it  felt very real to me.

But then, there’s Seth. I’m honestly still not sure how I feel about him as a character. I did like him to start with but then he becomes a monster on board the Empyrean and I really started to hate him. I know the story slowly points to a love triangle but I really hope he and Waverly don’t get together. I just can’t see them as a couple, maybe if Seth redeems himself in the next two books, then I may change my mind, but for the moment, it’s a no go for me." - wrote October 6th, 2011

Well let me tell you, it's official, I'm a hypocrite! LOL. I so want Waverly and Seth to be together! After reading Spark, I see their relationship in a whole new light. They have a connection that's deeper and stronger than what Waverly has with Kieran and because Glow was mainly focused on Keiran and Waverly's relationship, we don't see how deep Seth's is. Kieran changes and becomes a person I hardly recognised. He's mean and cold hearted to Waverly and he's just not a lovable guy this time around. Now Seth, ummm....Seth, just becomes a lovable character. He realises his mistakes and tries to help as much as he can even when he's on the run. And getting inside his head this time around was just amazing. We get to really see how he feels for Waverly and it's very touching and so very sweet. 

"She looked so determined, so strong, he wanted to kiss her. He thought he could take her by the shoulders and press his mouth against hers, test her, she what she did. If she were any girl other than Waverly Marshall, that's what he'd do. But one wrong move with her....He didn't want to think how it would hurt if she rejected him once and for all. 
Still, she cried in front of him. Had he unlocked her, too?
He watched her face  but she only looked back at him, examining his features as though she was still undecided if she could really trust him. 
She's not yours, he reminded himself. She can't be yours." - page 142 UK edition

All in all, Spark is an immense and thrilling read and it will leave you wishing you had book three ready and waiting for you. Amy Kathleen Ryan has done a fantastic job and it defiantly lived up to it's expectations. 

A big thank you to Macmilliam for giving me the opportunity to review this book.