Fifteen-year-old Laurel Goodwin wakes up to find her older sister Ivy missing from their Airstream trailer in the Oregon redwoods. A recurring nightmare convinces her that Ivy was abducted, but no one takes her dream seriously, including her mom. Laurel, a loner, has to learn to ask for help, and Jasper Blake, a mysterious new kid who shares her love of old books, quickly becomes her ally. Together they find their quiet town holds a deep secret and is the epicenter of a dark prophecy.
Laurel soon learns that her worst enemies, mean girls Peyton Andersen and Mei Rosen, are developing powers that she needs to find and save Ivy. With time running out, Laurel realizes that power doesn't always take the form that you expect. And once she learns to look beyond her snap judgments, she develops an unexpected gift of her own.
Review:
After reading Sunshine is Forever, I was excited to try another book published by Inkshares. Therefore, when Sparked appeared on my radar, a YA paranormal endorsed by the likes of Lemony Snicket and Lauren Kate, I knew I had to read it.
The result? Suspenseful, eerie, and slightly romantic, Sparked is the ULTIMATE October read!
I don't know about you all but I love stories based on prophecies. There's been a lot of them lately in YA (The Third Kiss, The Year of Four, etc.) and they've been impressing me left and right. So when I discovered that Sparked was based on a prophecy, I was intrigued. Luckily, it turned out well. The resulting terror, intrigue, and mystery was no less wonderful than what I've seen so far this year, as Helena & Malena did such a great job of fleshing out the proposed prophecy. I especially loved the mystery that it brought with it. Throughout the story, Laurel and Jasper searched high and low for the three proposed people who are meant to save her sister and the one person who was planning to end them all. It was fun to sleuth right along side of them. I also enjoyed when they did find the right people, as it brought together this oddly mixed group of people - a group that brought funny banter and even a little bit of drama to the table.
Also, let me tell you - some parts of this book are SO CREEPY! I made the mistake of reading this one at night with no one else home, and while part of me wanted to save the rest for the daylight, the other part of me couldn't put Sparked down.
Laurel was another reason I adored Sparked. Laurel faces the "other" sibling problem often seen in YA books, as she's always fallen in her sister Ivy's shadow. Ivy's always been the eccentric, fun, and charismatic one, while Laurel's also been quiet one, preferring the company of her books to that of people. However, with her sister's disappearance suddenly Laurel has to be the reckless one, because no one else is stepping up to the plate. She has to be the one to search for clues, even going so far as to break into a suspect's home. I outright loved the evolution of Laurel in this. I loved bad a$$, fearless Laurel, especially when her actions showed how much she loved her sister. I also enjoyed the side of romance Helena and Malena offered in the way of Laurel and Jasper's blossoming relationship. It was slow-burning; however, when that eventual kiss happened, it became in all senses well worth the wait. I enjoyed the build-up, especially when it gave a more developed sense to them rather than the "insta-love" feel I've come to hate.
The only aspect I didn't like about this one? I wish some of the side POVs would've been better fleshed out; however, with the hopes of a second book, I'm sure we'll see more of Peyton and Mei in the future!
In all, Sparked is yet another standout read from Inkshares! However, learn from my mistakes: don't read this one at night...unless you want to loose sleep ;)
After reading Sunshine is Forever, I was excited to try another book published by Inkshares. Therefore, when Sparked appeared on my radar, a YA paranormal endorsed by the likes of Lemony Snicket and Lauren Kate, I knew I had to read it.
The result? Suspenseful, eerie, and slightly romantic, Sparked is the ULTIMATE October read!
I don't know about you all but I love stories based on prophecies. There's been a lot of them lately in YA (The Third Kiss, The Year of Four, etc.) and they've been impressing me left and right. So when I discovered that Sparked was based on a prophecy, I was intrigued. Luckily, it turned out well. The resulting terror, intrigue, and mystery was no less wonderful than what I've seen so far this year, as Helena & Malena did such a great job of fleshing out the proposed prophecy. I especially loved the mystery that it brought with it. Throughout the story, Laurel and Jasper searched high and low for the three proposed people who are meant to save her sister and the one person who was planning to end them all. It was fun to sleuth right along side of them. I also enjoyed when they did find the right people, as it brought together this oddly mixed group of people - a group that brought funny banter and even a little bit of drama to the table.
Also, let me tell you - some parts of this book are SO CREEPY! I made the mistake of reading this one at night with no one else home, and while part of me wanted to save the rest for the daylight, the other part of me couldn't put Sparked down.
Laurel was another reason I adored Sparked. Laurel faces the "other" sibling problem often seen in YA books, as she's always fallen in her sister Ivy's shadow. Ivy's always been the eccentric, fun, and charismatic one, while Laurel's also been quiet one, preferring the company of her books to that of people. However, with her sister's disappearance suddenly Laurel has to be the reckless one, because no one else is stepping up to the plate. She has to be the one to search for clues, even going so far as to break into a suspect's home. I outright loved the evolution of Laurel in this. I loved bad a$$, fearless Laurel, especially when her actions showed how much she loved her sister. I also enjoyed the side of romance Helena and Malena offered in the way of Laurel and Jasper's blossoming relationship. It was slow-burning; however, when that eventual kiss happened, it became in all senses well worth the wait. I enjoyed the build-up, especially when it gave a more developed sense to them rather than the "insta-love" feel I've come to hate.
The only aspect I didn't like about this one? I wish some of the side POVs would've been better fleshed out; however, with the hopes of a second book, I'm sure we'll see more of Peyton and Mei in the future!
In all, Sparked is yet another standout read from Inkshares! However, learn from my mistakes: don't read this one at night...unless you want to loose sleep ;)
Grade: A
Sparked will be released October 3, 2017; however, Amazon is already shipping paperback copies!
Sparked will be released October 3, 2017; however, Amazon is already shipping paperback copies!
This sounds perfect to read at this time of year! Even the cover is a bit eerie!
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