Book Review – Glow: Book I, Potency (Glow #1) #YA #SFF

Hey book lovers! I’m here with a book review for Glow: Book I, Potency by Aubrey Hadley. I received a complimentary digital ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review. This was originally set to be published in July, but it looks like it’s been pushed back to February 2020.

About The Book 📚

Title: Glow: Book I, Potency

Author: Aubrey Hadley

Publication Date: February 2020

Publisher: Ruby & Topaz Publishing

Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Synopsis

The Maasai Mara Sleeping Syndrome has returned after a six-month hiatus. This time, it’s popped up in New York, and it’s wiped out an entire homeless shelter.The same night of the outbreak, Harper, a seventeen-year-old girl, stumbles across a glowing figure in the desert outskirts of her neighborhood. As her suburb goes on lockdown, Harper finds herself isolated from her friends and family, and soon begins to suspect that the events — though thousands of miles apart — may have something in common. Harper must find her bravery and embark on a plot-twisting adventure that will have her looking for answers in unexpected places… and worlds.

My Review

› Shortly after Harper sees something strange in the desert near her family home there’s an outbreak of the Mara Sleeping Syndrome. Harper’s suburb is put on lockdown and she’s taken by “ancients” to an alien base called Ki where they tell her she’s an alien-human hybrid. At the base, Harper undergoes training, learning more about the human-alien history and the Sleeping Syndrome. She also meets other teen alien-human hybrids and teams up with a few new friends to try and figure out the “ancients” real motives.

• Writing style: I had a really hard time getting into the story. It didn’t feel unique. There was too much telling and not enough showing and it’s way longer than it needs to be.
• Characters: Cookie-cutter, lacking a unique voice and personality. Harper doesn’t have much emotion. She’s taken from everything and everyone she’s ever known and then adjusts to the alien world without any anger, fear, resentment, or worry for her family or friends.
• Plot: VERY slow. Nothing much happens, but there is a lot of world-building and history revealed.
• Ending: Underwhelming.

› Final Thoughts
• I get the feeling that the publication date has been pushed in order to give this novel a little more finesse. I really wanted to like this one, but it’s just not for me. I don’t see myself continuing this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.

*Quotes taken from an ARC copy and subject to change*