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What price would you pay to live forever?
In a time when technology gives you the choice of trading your humanity for immortality, war has broken out between those who have chosen eternal life, known as harvesters, and the last bastion of humans who view death as a small price to pay to retain their immortal souls.

Struggling to live in what’s left of a post-nuclear United States, Skye and her best friend Ash rescue a stranger named Jace from a torturous interrogation at the hands of harvesters. During the scuffle, Ash is seriously injured with no hope of survival until a mysterious woman appears out of no where. The woman instructs Skye to journey to the Southern Kingdom, a haven built by the surviving members of humanity, if she ever wants to be with Ash again.

“Our fates are in your hands. Don’t fail us,” the woman warns Skye before literally vanishing into thin air, taking Ash with her.
Harvester is an action packed novel which follows Skye’s journey of self-discovery and brings into question what it really means to be human.


This is a young adult novel which contains some dark elements, language, violence, and mild sexual situations.

266 pages, Paperback

First published February 5, 2013

164 people are currently reading
808 people want to read

About the author

S.J. West

75 books1,188 followers
Once upon a time, a little girl was born on a cold winter morning in the heart of Seoul, Korea. She was brought to America by her parents and raised in the Deep South where the words ma'am and y'all became an integrated part of her lexicon. She wrote her first novel at the age of eight and continued writing on and off during her teenage years. In college she studied biology and chemistry and finally combined the two by earning a master's degree in biochemistry. After that she moved to Yankee land where she lived for four years working in a laboratory at Cornell University. Homesickness and snow aversion forced her back South where she lives in the land which spawned Elvis Presley, Oprah Winfrey, John Grisham and B.B. King. After finding her Prince Charming, she gave birth to a wondrous gift named Caylin and they all lived happily ever after.

The second book to the Harvester of Light trilogy will be available for purchase no later than December 2012.

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5 stars
370 (47%)
4 stars
273 (35%)
3 stars
104 (13%)
2 stars
26 (3%)
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4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
Profile Image for Maya Daniels.
Author 81 books297 followers
May 13, 2018
Dystopian story mixed with romance and immortality gone wrong, the first book of the trilogy definitely got my full attention. The author did a great job creating a world gone wrong when scientists and pharmaceutical companies try to play Gods. It was quite scary to realize that it’s not really far fetched scenario. Maybe not literally with the immortal wannabes but the rest will definitely make you think twice about the “what if’s”.

It felt like a mix of paranormal and sci fi that was refreshing. Imagine if vampires needed organs instead of blood and they were not turned through biting but with nanotechnology in their brain. It’s a recipe for a fun read! It’s in the YA genre and the romance in it fits perfectly with it. It’s sweet, innocent and very well implemented in the story.

Being the first book it does have a lot of information and it does leave the reader with few questions but that’s to be expected and it makes me want to start the second book straight away (I just picked it up lol) If this is something up your ally I definitely recommend it!
Profile Image for J.A. Cintron.
Author 3 books25 followers
October 9, 2017
This was all sorts of interesting weird can't wait to read the second one
429 reviews
September 9, 2018
Good book!

Skye is on the run from the Harvesters a soulless manufactured breed of immortal humans who need regular humans for replacement organs. This is the first of three and I'll be reading the other two.
Profile Image for Kent  Reed.
167 reviews37 followers
September 30, 2018
Waiting to read next book

Conflict with the Havesters made me think about the store in the Bible. How we are pitted by evil and there isn't a quick T.v. Ending to the story, and this encourages to to read book 2.
Profile Image for Raymond.
105 reviews6 followers
August 14, 2019
Not Bad at All

It was okay. I'll read the sequels because now I want to know what happens. It was decently well written. It just became a little more of a love story than I was expecting it to be, and that's not really me. But I have no major complaints.
Profile Image for MaryAnn Costanzo.
263 reviews
July 1, 2020
Wasn't sure I would care for this book but I have to say I am pleasantly surprised. Love it.
Profile Image for Cheer Papworth.
337 reviews55 followers
July 23, 2013
Harvester of Light #1 is the story of a girl named Skye who has been on the run from Harvesters for five years with her best friend Ash in a post-apocalyptic world. Harvesters are former humans who were implanted with nanites that cause skin and bone to be immortal; however the Queen, the scientist responsible for nanite technology and the ruler of the new world, made a miscalculation and internal organs still deteriorate. Harvesters steal organs from real humans through kidnapping and murder, as well as forcing humans into breeding camps.

After a run in with Harvesters, Ash is hurt and a mysterious woman named Rose appears to take Ash away for necessary life saving medical treatment. She instructs Skye to find her way to the allusive Southern Kingdom, a Harvester free safe zone that is surrounded by a radioactive barrier. Skye and her one eyed dog Blue meet a naked, amnesiac guy named Jace who only remembers one thing, that he is in love with Skye whom he has never met. The two head off to find their way to the Southern Kingdom, collecting friends along the way like Dorothy on her way to Oz. Their journey is filled with crazy adventures including nuclear bombs, being sold into slavery at a Harvester prison and mysterious superpowers. It may sound like a bunch of unbelievable fluff, but this story was unique and kept surprising me chapter by chapter.

Great leading characters, steamy love triangle, wild plot twists and turns, great fight scenes, awesome supporting characters and the best part of all, it's a trilogy and all three books have already been released!

Profile Image for My Bookbag by Karen.
348 reviews61 followers
May 14, 2015
I love this book. It is well thought out and well written. It flows really well and keeps my interest from start to finish. I am a fan of West’s work and already have a vast amount of her books in my kindle library. I think her concepts are very interesting.

This book is different from most of her other work. It is a combination of science fiction and dystopian society. The main characters are very likeable/loveable. It starts with only Skye, Ash and Blue. They are a team of survivors. staying one step ahead of the Harvesters.

Eventually, Skye acquires Jace as a traveling companion. There is something different about him. They find Zoe, a little girl with a big secret. Along the way to the Southern Kingdom, it is hard to know who to trust.

Each situation is intriguing. Thier sojourn is fascinating. There are heart pounding moments and heartbreaking moments. It is hard to feel so much love and suffer so much loss, but it could be worse. There are moments of self-discovery and even a few moments of joy.

The ending to this story creates more questions than the entire book gives answers. I am officially obsessed with this series now. I can not wait to see what happens next!
Profile Image for Lisa.
38 reviews
February 9, 2014
If u love the Penryn and the End of Days, book series, this Amazon Kindle, and S.J. West, YA book HAS TO BE on your carousel to read NEXT! While waiting for Susan Ee's, third installment of Penryn later this fall, my other favorite spinner of tails, S.J. West has a book to FEED your need for Post Apocalyptic adventure, selfless care and extraordinary feats of unconditional love for other survivers and what I like to call Karma Combat True Love that keeps two purest of hearts striving to save the world. Harvest is a true gift to those of us addicted to Science Fiction, Paranormal, Angelic intervention. So PLEASE don't miss on a new 'fix' for untamed adventure and buy Harvester right away or put on your wish list. This work of art should not sit in your basket for too long. It's amazing haunt will keep you glued ... until we can get Book Two! Seriously, contact me at bigyellowworm@gmail.com for more skinny on S.J. West Book Series that I have sooo, loved. She has brought me to new worlds that I wish I could be apart of. God bless her and you for being or becoming a future fan!
6,202 reviews41 followers
September 4, 2016
This is a very well-done story. The Earth has been divided into two groups. Bio-mechanical beings that used to be regular humans but are not Harvesters. Then there's a small number of actual humans trying to escape being captured and taken to breeding farms where they have babies and people are used as unwilling organ donors for the Harvesters themselves.

Sky and Ash escape from the breeding camp they were in but the Harvesters are always after any escapees and this is no different. Ash ends up leaving the story for now and another guy, this one named Jace, shows up naked and confused.

In such a world many humans have become as evil as the Harvesters and Skye finds this out rather harshly. Betrayal and a Mad Max-type of place are just two more things she has to go through. Then there's the plan to try to escape and head towardss the Southern Kingdom which is a haven against the Harvesters, the camp being surrounded by a strong radiation zone.

Then there's a major revelation at the end about Skye, something which, if true, will shake her entire world.
Profile Image for Michala.
119 reviews3 followers
August 6, 2015
I wasn't sure if this was my sort of book, but since I've read many of her books I thought I would try it and I was not disappointed. After finding a way of living forever at the cost of loosing your humanity. Skye and Ash (and blue) for 5 years have been surviving until one day Ash is injured and taken to the Southern Kingdom by a mysterious women. Left alone with Jace a stranger with no memory of only he's looking for Skye and that he's in love with her. Making their way to the Southern Kingdom they meet a young girl Zoe. Along the way Jace continues to convince Skye his love for her is real. Running into trouble on their way they also make some new friends. I love all the characters in this story the way Jace doesn't give up on Skye and will protect her at any cost. Skye is strong and stubborn and has a secret even she doesn't even realise, and slowly she starts to realise her feelings for Jace are growing.
Profile Image for Secretly Adorkable Readers.
1,413 reviews27 followers
October 17, 2013
Wow, I was a little skeptical in starting this series but I love dystopian stories so tried an apocolyptic story. I have read all of SJ West's books on the Watchers Trilogy, Chronicles, and Timeless series which I really enjoyed the last few days. I cannot wait for the second book Devoted coming out this next Sunday.

Back to the Harvester Series.....again, Wow. West did not disappoint once again!

I loved the thrilling suspense of twists and turns, kidnapping, super powers of what nanites can do to different people to become immortals. We definitely have a little romance and maybe a love triangle?? You will have to read and see....

I love Jace, Skye, Zoe, and the others and what a cliffhanger..it is a good thing I have the other 2 books downloaded...

Amazon and Goodreads reviews posted
hotninja_angel

Profile Image for Katy.
7 reviews1 follower
December 27, 2014
Interesting but borrows heavily

What I liked about this book is that it was a fast read with some nice descriptive writing. The setting was painted very clearly, and I could easily see this book working as an anime movie. However, speaking from a literary standpoint, I was a tad disappointed by how much of the storyline seems to be just repeats of popular modern dystopian themes. There was a definite Homeric element to the story, from the Circe-like Julia to the world weary travelers on a quest for "home". Then there's the all-too-common love triangle, the horrifying supernatural creatures like something out of an early Stephen King book, and the predictable ending that sets the stage for the next installment of the series. In all, a nice read for a boring day, but the same story as all the others in recent teen fiction.
7 reviews
January 29, 2014
This book was an amazing tale of a girl named Skye in a post apocalyptic world where she must struggle to survive and make it to a region of the world known as the southern kingdom after a mysterious woman named Rose saves her best friend and companion by taking him here after a fight with harvesters. Harvesters are organ stealing immortals that stay alive by replacing their decaying organs with fresh stolen ones of their victims. After the strange disappearance of Rose and Ash, Skye has to take care of a stranger that saved her life and claims to not just know her but loves her. It was a very thrilling tale that I would suggest to any age group.
Profile Image for Misti Epps.
21 reviews3 followers
July 25, 2013
I definitely recommend this book, especially if you have read the Watcher's series from S.J. West. No, this is not about angels and demons, but that doesn't take away from the awe of this series. I too was a little iffy, only because I've been hooked on the angel and demon series out there, but I wanted to read it for myself. I was NOT disappointed and found myself surprised by how the story twisted and turned. I thought I know what was coming, but West switched it up and left me stunned and excited. I can see this series evolving like the Watcher's series did. Loved it!
Profile Image for Linda Bauder-duckworth.
9 reviews
May 7, 2014
Harvester is the first book in the Harvesters of Light series and it tells the story of Skye, a girl on the run in post-nuclear America. Meet and fall in love with Skye, Ash and Jace as they fight against those who want to alter their mortality. The reason I read this book is because of it's author who also wrote the Watchers Trilogy, Watchers Chronicles, Caylin's story and the Redemption series. I so love the authors writing style and the way she can engulf you into the story and characters. This series is well worth the read as is everything Sandy writes.
Profile Image for Taylor.
53 reviews2 followers
August 14, 2014
Dystopian Fun

I didn't know what to think going into this first book (I started it bc I enjoyed West's other series so much) but I'm glad I gave it a chance. I'm a huge fan of dystopian novels and this book held my attention from the get go. West's characters are deep and interesting and her writing is detailed. I always have an exact picture in my head as I'm reading her work and Harvester really relies on that detail. I liked the mixture of the modern luxuries versus the apocalyptic-like harshness of her world. I am looking forward to starting book two.
66 reviews
December 31, 2013
I wasn't very enthusiastic about this trilogy, but I really love The Watchers books so I gave it a shot anyway. WOW!!! It grabbed my attention from the first chapter and held it the whole time. I couldn't wait to see how the story ended and I read the whole trilogy in 3 days. I LOVED IT! I should have know better than to doubt SJ West. She never disappoints. It was a great read.
Profile Image for Elda.
13 reviews
June 30, 2013
If you're a fan of SJ West, then you have to read this book and series! At first I was a little iffy to start this series due to the lack of angels but this series so made up for it. You immediately fall in love with the characters and the twists the story takes are to die for. Take a chance, you won't regret it!
102 reviews
August 13, 2016
Great book. S.J. West you did a great job. I read all her other books about angels and I decide to give a try to her dystopian novel and she didn't disappoint me. WOW what a story line there what Skye have to endure to survive in that world keep me turning each page eager to know what's going to happen next.
I you enjoy dystopian novels you need to get a copy of this book is amazing!!!!
Profile Image for Lloyd L Wright.
Author 1 book2 followers
May 1, 2016
‘Harvester’ is a dystopian tome that is full of twists and turns as it pushes toward its conclusion, which, of course, leads you to the next book in the series, ‘Hope’. Personally I loved it and can’t wait to read ‘Hope’ the second book in the Harvester of Light Series. Then the story continues with ‘Dawn’. Truly a great read!
Profile Image for I.A. Cintron.
Author 2 books11 followers
September 21, 2016
welp sugar honey ice tea.... I now need the second book, were do I get it now?. I need to know what happens with Jace, if Skye is really the Queen's daughter and if she chooses between Jace and Ash. I also need to know if Jace, Skye and Zoe develop their powers and who the hell are Rose and Simon parents!!!....
63 reviews2 followers
April 21, 2014
Good read

I liked the way the author developed the characters, I am usually able to figure out what will happen next but there were enough twists to hold my interest. Can't wait to read the next book.
Profile Image for Meghan.
28 reviews5 followers
May 10, 2014
The usual teenage love triangle. It's not literature, but brain junk food. I enjoyed it enough, I just hope the print version was edited better (I read it on Kindle). I don't usually notice those kinds of issues, but this one had several obvious mistakes.
Profile Image for Jana LaPelle.
Author 8 books41 followers
June 29, 2014
Super good read!

I am a huge fan of the Watcher Series so I thought I would try this series out. What can I say? SJ West does it again! I'm totally sucked into a really good story and can not wait to start the next book to see what happens next.
542 reviews
January 30, 2015
Great

I kept putting off reading this book because it seemed a little to fantastical. ( but) I have loved everything else this author has written, so I decided to take a chance. I shouldn't have doubted that I would love these characters. The storyline was intriguing.
Profile Image for Nicole.
72 reviews
December 22, 2015
Was hesitant to read this series but once I started I couldn't stop! Was a great story and I loved it. I highly recommend it to those who like the trilogy and the chronicles:)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews

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