Sixteen year old Aine lives in the Colony, and his whole life was decided before he was born. In two years he will marry the girl next door, Brin, who was assigned as his Other at birth. Then he will be given a position in the Colony's workforce that best suits his talents. Each night he takes four pills, like everyone else in the Colony, and he knows the pills keep them safe and their world in order. Everything is fine. Perfect, in fact. Until Aine accidentally drops one of his pills. Terrified, he tries to hide the mistake, but when he dreams for the first time in his life, he discovers all he's been missing. What scares him more than not taking the pill, though, is how alive his dreams make him feel. Because it isn't Brin he dreams of but his best friend Kyer. Another boy. Suddenly Aine's world turns upside down, and he doesn't know what to think or who to trust. All he knows for sure is he's falling in love with Kyer, which is forbidden by the Colony's Code, and he will do anything to protect their budding relationship. Even if it means defying the Overseer and leaving the Colony behind.

The Colony Book 1: Rebellion

Sure enough, she gave a small sigh and said, “I hadn’t thought you’d grow up so fast.”


“It’s been sixteen years,” I groaned. “It doesn’t feel all that fast to me.”


She patted my knee. “Oh, I know. Time just seems to move faster when you get older, that’s all. Another couple years and you’ll know what I’m talking about. When you start working, the years will fly by.”


I didn’t mention that I wasn’t planning on becoming the next Overseer.


She squeezed my knee, her fingers tucking in behind the bend to keep her hand in place on my leg. “Soon you’ll be married, and have kids of your own.”


I shook my head. That was the Colony’s plan, not mine.


But before I could say anything, she laughed softly. “You say no now, but you’ll change your mind.”


Chapter 59