In "Spark," Rachael Craw threads a fine line between science fiction and fantasy to empower the imaginative soul of the reader. The novel is set in a world where genetically enhanced people, known as Strays, come with extraordinary talents. It follows a girl in her teen years, Evie, who struggles to control newfound powers and find answers regarding her unknown past.

The rich world-building of Craw puts the reader into a colorful world where people in this world are afraid of Strays because of their powers, but at the same time, they are wanted for those very gifts. All the action on the city streets and hidden enclaves of the Burrowers is very much alive, described in almost picturesque detail, vividly set out as a backcloth before which Evie's journey of self-discovery unfolds.

At the core of this novella is Evie herself, who charms as a protagonist to all struggling with identity and belonging. Then there is Evie, who learns to harness her new powers, confronting secrets of her past in a compelling investigation into courage, resilience, and the power of friendship.

There's a equally fleshed-out cast that surrounds her, and all of these characters deepen and complicate this narrative that Evie has created in her head. From Evie's stalwart friends to the enigmatic figures peopling the world of the Strays, every character feels fully realized and three-dimensional, enriching the story.

Craw's prose is as lyrical as it gets, and behind it lies a vivid imagination which will charm a reader right from the first page. Full of twists and turns, it clips along at a reasonable rate, keeping one guessing about what comes next until it finally can release its pent-up tension in an exhilarating conclusion to this fantasy adventure.

I love si-fi and this story made me like it even more. It is very well written and the permission is very well implemented. I liked everything.

The cover is what drew me to this book, it is a beautiful cover!

This is a Sci-fi book that had my attention immediately. Evie is considered a shield and her purpose is to protected her spark. Her spark turns out to be her best friend and is being hunted by a stray. I wasn't quite sure why the spark was being hunted or why the stray was designated to hunt them but once Evie saves her spark she will be bound to the next spark to save.

I enjoyed the book but found it a little long and at times a bit confusing. There was so much detail given that at times I felt lost. The relationship that happened in the book between Evie and the sparks brother feels like a whole other story to tell. Overall I did enjoy the book and would most likely pick up the sequel.

Rachael Craw's "Spark," narrated by Ella Le Fournour, was surprisingly enjoyable. We are thrown into a realistic fantasy world where genetic experiments have gone haywire. The story follows Evie, who is trying to navigate her new life after her mother's passing. She begins to experience strange sparking sensations. She soon discovers that she's a Shield, destined to protect her best friend Kitty, a Spark who is under being hunted by the Stray (bad guys).

The story moves at a rapid pace, which made it a little hard to keep up with all of the info dumping during more action packed parts of the book. But, the story was very captivating and kept me very engaged.

Overall, the audiobook was a great experience and I would highly recommend 'Spark' to anyone who enjoys realism fantasy!

Thank you NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for providing me with an ALC. My review is my own and completely unbias. 💖

I enjoyed the storyline of Spark, it fit YA Sci-Fi category well. The characters were mature, not overly angsty and the bond between Evie and Jamie was pretty cool. I like the idea of a Shield being bound to protect a Spark, but Kitty also had a personality of her own. This really helped the storyline progress without the weak/strong trope many get caught in. I also enjoyed the audio production of this book, it is quite long at 11 hours, but overall, incredibly entertaining and well narrated. Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for allowing me to listen to this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I was hooked from the very beginning. It’s full of action and fast-paced. I enjoyed the twist and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters were enjoyable, and it had some sweet romance. I highly recommend this book to anyone!

Spark follows 17-year-old Evie as she experiences major changes in her life following the death of her mother and the revelation that she has genetically modified DNA. This was a very solid YA novel and if you are a fan of YA and super powers this is a novel for you. I thought the narrator did a good job bringing Evie's thoughts and struggles to life in the audiobook.

Get ready to dive into the electrifying world of "Spark" by Rachael Craw! This book delivers a rollercoaster of teenage emotions mixed with genetic twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Meet Evie, your typical seventeen-year-old girl grappling with the loss of her mother when suddenly, bam! She's thrust into a wild experiment-gone-wrong, turning her into a Shield with superhuman abilities. Now, Evie's tasked with protecting her best friend from an elusive killer, and the danger could strike anytime, anywhere.

But that's not all—enter Jamie, the irresistibly off-limits brother of said best friend. Cue the teenage angst and hormones! Evie's world gets even more complicated as she navigates newfound powers, secrets within her own family, and yes, the forbidden allure of romance.

"Spark" isn't just about saving the day—it's about discovering oneself amidst the chaos. Sure, there's a hefty dose of info dumping in the first half, but hang in there! Rachael Craw sets the stage for an entertaining series filled with surprises, twists, and a whole lot of "WTF" moments.

If you're ready for a thrilling ride packed with secret societies, forbidden love, and the challenges of being a "normal" teen with abnormal abilities, then buckle up and dive into "Spark." This book promises a wild journey ahead—you won't want to miss it!

When I tell you that I was pleasantly surprised by this book, please don’t interpret that in any kind of negative way. I just feel like I am constantly chasing a high from these YA sci-fi/fantasy books that I very rarely achieve. I picked this audiobook up on a whim – drawn in by the cover and the description and in the end, I am SO glad that I did!

The story was so interesting. It was beautifully narrated (I think I might listen to anything that Ella Le Fournour and her beautiful accent might want to read to me) and it felt like it had the perfect amount of emotion, action, backstory, and plot twist. I genuinely liked Evie and while the plot is a little slow, it worked well for me as a listening experience. I was invested in the relationships – both Evie’s friendship with Kitty and her budding relationship with Jamie, as well as the others that popped up along the way. I was caught off guard by the twist – I didn’t see it coming and it opens up a whole new thread of interest for me, making me hungry for the next story in the series.

As I mentioned, the narration on this was top-notch. I felt like Le Fournour delivered a beautiful story that I’m honestly not sure I’d have liked as much if I hadn’t heard it from her voice (with…did I mention the accent?). I really really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see where the story goes from here!

So glad i found this on NetGalley, I've never heard of it! I'm obsessed! I cant wait for books 2 & 3 to be on audio!

Publisher's summary
Evie doesn’t have a choice. One day she’s an ordinary 17-year-old, grieving for her mother.
The next, she’s a Shield, the result of a decades-old experiment gone wrong,
bound by DNA to defend her best friend from an unknown killer.
The threat could come at home, at school, anywhere.
All Evie knows is that it will be a fight to the death.
And then there’s Jamie. Irresistible. Off-limits.

Thanks to NetGalley & Bolinda audio for the ALC of Spark!

Spark
By: Rachael Craw
Narrated by: Ella Le Fournour
Series: Spark, Book 1
Publisher: Bolinda audio
Release date: 03-08-24

So I think this story is solid. I feel like the me of 10 years ago would have loved this book, but having read so many amazing books since then, this genre isn't as WOW inducing to me anymore. I also didn't love the narrator. I am a huge audiobook reader and have a list of my favorite narrators. I love when I stumble upon someone new to me that I love, but this narrator wasn't it. I felt like the story moved slower than I wanted it too, and I had to sludge through a lot of tedious (maybe even unnecessary) details. I think I would give the book 3.5 stars and the audiobook 3 stars.

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I have to admit that I loved this. It is incredibly silly but it was a ton of fun. The narrator did a fantastic job. I found the twin tropes funny. Kind of wrong to give up a child based on gender but what do I know. I don't live in their universe.

I read this book back when it came out and remember quite liking it. I thought i'd reconnect with it and listen to this audiobook at the gym!
However, i found the voice of the narrator extremely grating and didn't like the accent at all.
I would suggest you listen to a sample before buying if you are sensible to this!

This is an exciting thriller audiobook for older teens and YA. There are lots of twists as Evie finds out her ‘spark’ is going to bring so many problems. This story has plenty of snarky teenage humour, genetic manipulation, family secrets, forbidden romance, and dark secret agencies. Her work is cut out for her then if she is to survive mentally, and not, definitely not, fall in love. The first in a series, this can be listened to/read as a stand-alone, but seems like lots more excitement for Evie to come in the future. Thank you to Bolinda Audio and NetGalley for the audio ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

Hmm where to start? Well, the idea of this book was great. But the execution fell a little short. I liked the premise of Sparks but I can't tell if the story needed more of whether or not I'm just distracted by the narration. While her voice was pleasant there was an upward inflection every few words making the story sound like it was being read in bullet points. Incredibly distracting, ruined the book unfortunately.

Thanks to the jigsaw puzzle, this audiobook was the fastest I ever listened to. And what a book that was! This was a very interesting YA sci-fi romance book that gripped me from the very start.

After her mother’s death, Evie moves in with her aunt, trying to make sense of her life and feelings. But, one day, everything changes and she becomes a Shield – a person with genetic mutation in her blood and special abilities – and is bound to defend her best friend Kitty, a Spark from the person who wants her dead.

The setting is in the near future, where a government organized DNA genetic modification experiment has gone wrong, resulting in Shields (protectors), Sparks (the ones who need protection) and Strays (the ones who want to kill). The government is keeping a close eye on all of these genetically modified humans and trying to prevent the catastrophe.

I found this concept to be very unique, although it does remind me of Rebel Belle by Rachael Hawkins and Vampire Academy movie and TV-show (I haven't actually read the books). It’s a fast-paced, action-packed story that has a lot of twists and turns and constantly has you on the edge of your seat. The characters were great, the romance with Jamie was really sweet. The fact that he was Kitty’s older brother made their romance to be kind of forbidden and interesting because they shouldn’t be together due to the fact that it might distract Evie from her duty to protect Kitty. Because of that, Evie had to go back and forth with her feelings and constantly choose between her best friends or her brother. This book is also about friends and family and discovering yourself. I loved the way Evie dealt with her doubts and moral debates throughout the book, and her trying to understand every point of view while she considered what was right or wrong. This was what I liked about her the most – her unprejudice.

I must admit that the info-dumping at the start, when Evie discovers her true identity, was a bit overwhelming and it took me quite some time to understand the meaning of all of it, but it does get better, once you get it, I promise. The ending of the book was pretty intense and unexpected. Can’t wait to read the next book!

Thank you NetGalley and Bolinda Audio (@Bolindaaudio) so much for providing this audiobook!

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook!

I hadn't read the physical book prior to the audiobook, but I was able to follow the story well, and I thought the narrator was fantastic. As someone who grew up in both Australia and New Zealand, I almost feel like giving a sigh of relief when an audiobook has a narrator from one of those countries. So many audiobooks are narrated by Americans, which really tends to grate on my ears after a while (personally!).

The book itself was fun - it threw me back to the YA sci-fi craze of the 2010s, and I feel like it would have fit in perfectly alongside Scott Westerfeld and Veronica Roth. I would have liked to know a bit more about the background of the 'big-bad' organisation, but I'm assuming this is a series, and hopefully that would have been investigated more thoroughly in later books. The pacing was also a little patchy, but the storyline was satisfying and it still felt fresh. Overall a super enjoyable read/listen.

This was a reread for me as I loved the books when they came out! I reread this as an audiobook this time and loved the narrator (there’s something about Australian/NZ narrators I love).
This book was very reminiscent of the 2010s in terms of writing, but it’s still enjoyable with a 2020s lens.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bolinda Audio, Walker Books Australia, Rachel Craw, and Ella Le Fournour (audio narrator) for the opportunity to read and listen to the audiobook of Spark in exchange for an honest review.

In Evie's world, there is a very small faction of people who have undergone a decades-old experiment, though Evie seems to be a unique case. She is what is known as a Shield, someone who finds what are called Stray's, people who give off a warning when they are in any sort of danger. These warnings are sensed by the Shields, thus the name. The Shields are then able to protect their Strays with this foresight.

Evie's first Stray is Kitty. But no one saves their first Stray; Shields don't know enough about their powers when they encounter their first Stray. With the exception of Evie, of course. And then there's Jamie. It sure is challenging to balance priorities between a friend's safety and romance.

This book feels somewhat familiar, but also fresh simultaneously. The series is a trilogy, currently completed and each book ahs a mini story that goes with it featuring a given character. I enjoyed this novel, and the twist at the end was very intriguing and a fun way to lead into the next novel.

I recommend this book for lovers of science fiction, especially when it comes to genetic manipulation and powers (like mutants). A quick and enthralling start to a young adult trilogy.

Rachael Craw's "Spark" throws you into a whirlwind of mystery, danger, and forbidden romance from the very first page. Set in a world where genetic experimentation has unforeseen consequences, Evie, our protagonist, is thrust into a life she never imagined after the sudden loss of her mother. What follows is a gripping tale of self-discovery and the weight of responsibility as Evie grapples with her newfound abilities as a Shield, genetically bound to protect her best friend from a deadly threat lurking in the shadows.

It expertly weaves together elements of science fiction and thriller, creating a world that feels both familiar and tantalizingly different. The concept of Shields, genetically engineered individuals with heightened senses and reflexes, adds a layer of intrigue to the story, as Evie navigates the dangers that come with her newfound powers. The tension is palpable as Evie races against time to uncover the identity of the killer, knowing that failure could mean the ultimate price.

Amidst the danger and uncertainty, a forbidden romance simmers between Evie and Jamie, adding an extra layer of complexity to an already intense plot. Their chemistry leaps off the page, and you will find yourselves rooting for them even as they navigate the obstacles standing in their way.

"Spark" is a fast-paced and exhilarating ride from start to finish, keeping you on the edge of your seat with its twists and turns.
Rachael Craw delivers a gripping story that will leave you eagerly anticipating the next installment. With its compelling characters, intricate world-building, and pulse-pounding action, "Spark" is sure to captivate all fans of YA fiction and science fiction alike as well as thriller readers too.