Hope you all are having a safe and happy Halloween filled with lots of treats and not too many tricks 🙂

I am still hoping to enter Susanna Hill’s Halloweensie Contest, so I better get to work! But until then, here is a new review for you to enjoy…

Glow (2017, Albert Whitman & Company, Young Adult Historical Fiction)

From the publisher:

Sometimes the light is more treacherous than the dark.

When thrift-store aficionado Julie discovers a series of antique paintings with hidden glowing images that are only visible in the dark, she wants to learn more about the artist. In her search, she uncovers a century-old romance and the haunting true story of the Radium Girls, young women who used radioactive paint to make the world’s first glow-in-the-dark products—and ultimately became radioactive themselves. As Julie’s obsession with the paintings mounts, truths about the Radium Girls—and her own complicated relationships—are revealed. But will she uncover the truth about the luminous paintings before putting herself and everyone she loves at risk?

Review:

Glow, written by Megan E. Bryant, is a gripping tale weaving together a haunting story from the past and Julie’s modern day teenage struggles. Told in alternating points of view, the story is slowly revealed from Julie’s perspective as she tries to learn more about the mysterious glowing paintings, and through letters written by a young woman who lived a century ago.

The historical aspect of this novel is both fascinating and terrible, and the letters are beautifully written with an incredibly authentic feel. Julie’s narrative is strong as well, but her life is almost overly complicated. She has so much going on that the reader will struggle to fully grasp her situation until very near the end, but that’s a minor detail, as the story overall is a brilliant, page-turning creation.

A fantastic read for young adults. This story has mystery, romance, strong female characters, and creepy glowing paintings. The historical inspiration for this story is gripping, and will leave readers wanting to know more about the Radium Girls. Highly recommended for readers ages 12 and up.

5 glowing, gleaming stars to shine this Halloween night!

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.