Review of Spark Rising

Synopsis

All that’s required to ignite a revolution is a single spark rising.

Two hundred years after the cataclysm that annihilated fossil fuels, Sparks keep electricity flowing through their control of energy-giving Dust. The Council of Nine rebuilt civilization on the backs of Sparks, offering citizens a comfortable life in a relo-city in exchange for power, particularly over the children able to fuel the future. The strongest of the boys are taken as Wards and raised to become elite agents, the Council’s enforcers and spies. Strong girls—those who could advance the rapidly-evolving matrilineal power—don’t exist. Not according to the Council.

Lena Gracey died as a child, mourned publicly by parents desperate to keep her from the Council. She was raised in hiding until she fled the relo-city for solitary freedom in the desert. Lena lives off the grid, selling her power on the black market.

Agent Alex Reyes was honed into a calculating weapon at the Ward School to do the Council’s dirty work. But Alex lives a double life. He’s leading the next generation of agents in a secret revolution to destroy those in power from within.

The life Lena built to escape her past ends the day Alex arrives looking for a renegade Spark.

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Review

Spark Rising by Kate Corcino is brilliant because it is so unique and fresh, I have honestly never read anything like it before! It has a post-apocalyptic / dystopian feel as it features an imperfect society that recently rebuild itself after a disaster that wiped out large numbers of the population. The “Sparks” then mix together both paranormal and sci-fi elements. Finally to top it off, there are very strong romance elements and the character ages and content make it a New Adult novel.

I loved that this NA novel brought something a little different to the table. It still features a lot of romance and the sexiness that many NA readers enjoy but rather than being too similar to other already available NA novels it has ditched a traditional contemporary storyline and instead gone in the dystopian direction.

One of my favourite elements to dystopian novels is that they generally have “strong” female characters and I’m not talking strong in a physical sense (though they often are) but more in their morality, sense of self and the fact that they can take care of themselves. Lena is no exception to this trend but she also seems more real than many of those in other books.

This book does have romance, though the romantic development felt to me more like a secondary plotline with the dystopic action taking the forefront. However, if you are a romance lover through and through this book still lots of it as well as a few steamy scenes. Alex is also quite good book boyfriend material, especially if you like the thought of a double agent rebelling against a corrupt government (I know I did!).

Whilst this doesn’t have a cliff-hanger ending, Spark Rising seemed to set the scene for what will be a longer series. I am looking forwards to the next book as I think there is much more about the world of Dust and the Sparks that is still to be explored and I cannot wait to see what else this author can bring to the table.

If you love both YA dystopian novels like the Hunger Games and Divergent and also NA contemporary romances then this will be perfect for you.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, this has not affected my opinions or ratings in any way*

Try it for yourself! Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

Laura