I loved that this book was multiple POV and the world building of this universe! It was complicated and enthralling to learn through our four main characters. I’m also a sucker for the morally gray in any fantasy novel, and Huss didn’t disappoint.

Rounded up for 4.7 stars. I enjoyed this fantastical story very mush. The world building was very interesting and I loved most of the main characters (with the exception of Finn, but thats probably intentional as he is not a good guy). I loved all twists and turns characters go through and was unable to put the book down it got me so captivated in the story. Overall this was a good read and I highly recommend it to readers who love fantasy with romance and steamy moments.

There is this theory that some Gods are actually human with a higher sensibility... Well this has world building definitly, an alternative reality something like that and here we have multiple POV but mainly Clara and Jasina and it actually made sense to be honest.. But it also could have been better.. No complains about the spice or even the morally grey I did enjoyed that, but it missed more spark for me

While the concept of the book was interesting, it didn't quite land for me. The writing style felt choppy and hard to follow, which made it difficult to get fully immersed in the story. I liked the characters, but the overall execution left me feeling a bit disconnected.

unfortunately this one was not for me. it was interesting but I dont think I was the right reader for this. I would still recommend to the right audience.

While I liked the concept of the book, it unfortunately fell flat for me.

My main problems were with the writing style and the dialogue. It was choppy and hard to follow which made it difficult for me to feel immersed in the story.

I do think the plot could have been super interesting so I'm disappointed to have to leave a lower rating than I initially thought I would.

Once again, I love being inside this extremely clever author's big brain. As someone who is not the usual fantasy reader, it seems I had no choice but to get happily lost in J.A. Huss's wonderful words and the unique journey she took me on. Sure, there were many times I had to reread certain passages and honestly take a breather or twelve to fully digest just what was happening in the seemingly simultaneously worlds that our four protagonists resided in, but in the end, I was definitely disappointed that the next book hadn't yet been written!! Not that it ends on a cliffhanger per se, but there is much more that needs to be fleshed out as Tyse, Clara, Finn and Jasina, along with the somewhat incorrigible Anneeta find themselves living out a life that was not what they had imagined.

With the myth of the Godslayer and the Courtesan as almost a guide of sorts for this storyline, I became very invested in Clara and Finn's love story and all that they had envisioned for their future. But, of course, Huss doesn't make it easy on this couple as more devious plans behind the scenes with respect to the hierarchy that runs their beloved Tau City start to rise to the surface and all h3ll breaks loose. And once Clara is supposedly lost to Finn forever, thus starts her own parallel story wherein she finds in Tyse a true hero that would sacrifice himself for her and anyone else he deemed worthy. With Finn, in the meantime discovering all that his father left to him, cracking the code of the supposed god who ruled his city and finding his own worthy partner in Jasina when he least expected it.

Four points of view gives us every angle of this story and how each character plays their part in going against authority and guiding their new future while skirting danger, embracing magic and discovering truths that go against everything they had ever been taught. The division of classes and what the power the so-called Spark Maidens have within them guide this storyline in more ways than one. I was beyond curious as to how the different versions of Tau City would collide and what that would mean to our foursome and other generations going forward.

It's a complicated, twisted and yet very compelling book that is as unique a story as this talented author has ever created. I just really enjoyed it, even as I had to carefully sift through all that was thrown at these intricate characters. I cannot wait to see where Huss will take us next as we'll get to spend more time with Tyse, Clara, Finn, Jasina and Anneeta and who knows who else they will encounter in order to save the world around them once more.

Sparktopia is quite the brilliant read and I happily give this crazy-good book a huge 5 stars!

I absolutely loved this book. JA has made a world that has me hooked and of course needing answers. I love Clara and Finn but damn Tyse has now moved to #1. Clara and Tyse are amazing together. I absolutely love the twists in this story and so looking forward to the next book in this series especially how this book ended. Truly another amazing read that had me hooked and the characters I couldn’t get enough of.

I want to thank the author and netgalley for this ARC.
I liked the characters but the plot was not for me unfortunately . It was a bit confusing.

The idea related to the God that needs to be given a Spark Maiden has definitely been done before. I’ve read about it lots of times, although this story felt different. The atmosphere was regal, the girls, especially Jasina were special, they felt like real people and I instantly connected with them.
The author is incredibly skilled at offering each of the characters their own voice. Clara felt mature, enamored and a dreamer, while Jasina had a playful tone, typical to younger girls.
Although I liked how the story unfolded, it soon occurred to me that it wasn’t going to be how I had imagined it.
I hope we all collectively despise Mitch and Finn. I hate Finn so much and I was terrified the author will try to redeem him, which actually happened.
This, along with the last 15% of the book (which felt more sci-fi than fantasy to me) ruined the story.
I still enjoyed the most part but I just wish it didn’t have to become a completely different story.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC!

This book was chaotic and I was HERE for it!!

There were so many layers, 4 different POVs, so much mystery, and it all comes crashing down at the end so spectacularly and sets us up for book 2.

We start with a lot of world building....like a lot of world building. But we also get a lot of background information on our characters that really helps us see what kind of people they are and we can compare it to who they are becoming.

I definitely have my character preferences here.....I'm a Clara and Tyse fan through and through. My favorite chapters were Tyse's. He is extremely self-aware and has no problem admitting when he is wrong.

Clara, as Tyse eloquently puts it....is just a fuckin' kitten. She's precious. But she's also fierce and brave and adaptable. She's also extremely, EXTREMELY perceptive when it comes to conversations. I think that comes into play later, but we will see.

Finn and Jesina have some work to do on my favorites list, but I'm not opposed to it. Everyone in this story is flawed, no one is perfect (not even Clara). But the best part is that they all know that they aren't, everyone is just on their own journey of self-actualization here.

There are so many plot twists along the way and then two big ol' ones towards the end that shift the world as we know it and prep us for what I can only assume is going to be a WILD ride for the next installment.

Overall: recommend!

The worlds of science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, are not ones that I traverse into regularly, with the exception of a few specific authors. And romantasy is a pretty new trope for me, but I must say, I am enjoying it immensely.

I've been anticipating this book for quite a while. I wondered how it would compare to the other books I've read of Julie's in the tropes mentioned above: her Junco series, the Monsters of St. Mark's, the Harem Station series, or my favorite, her Anarchy series.

What a complex, fantastical world Julie created in Tau City. As complex as it was in this book, I don't think we're anywhere near finished learning how big and complicated and dimensional this story is going to end up being.

I particularly enjoyed the way Julie has introduced us to the main characters of this story. There's not just two main characters, but four. And each one plays an integral part in what transpires.

Tyse reminded me very much of her Anarchy series with the "enhancements" he has undergone in service of the Sweep Army. As much as he is classified as "non-human" now, he had some of the most humane reactions to the circumstances around him, and experienced some of the most emotion, particularly when it came to Clara.

Clara, the "poised, proper, polite" ninth Spark Maiden, has dedicated her whole life to serving Tau City, biding her time until she can finish her duties and marry the love of her life, Finn. Only that is not at all what happens, and it was so fun watching her navigate her new reality once she figures out that her whole life has been based on a huge lie, and the one person she thought she could always count on lets her down in a very big way.

Finn, the Extraction Master's son, has led a very sheltered, privileged life, cruising along, living high off the hog until everything changes in a single day, and the life he thought he was going to have disappeared in an instant. Will he step up and do what is right, or will he cower to the pressure of tradition and sacrifice his true love? As the blurb tells us, he wusses out. Finn was really a hard one to like or feel sorry for in any way. In fact, he was my least liked of this series, and even though he man's up in the end, it wasn't enough to redeem him. We'll see what happens with him in the next book, maybe he'll surprise us all.

Jasina, another one I wasn't sure what to think. She's a down-city girl, with no real prospects outside of hoping to become a Spark Maiden. She's unapologetic for who she is, and her only real goal is to get her name in the history books. She finds out quickly enough that the network of rebels she thought she was a part of, really didn't have her back, the exact opposite actually, and the only one she finds to cling to is Finn, who is really just a self-absorbed up-city guy, but he holds the key to everything, and together they can make a name for themselves. Her and Finn's story is going to be quite interesting in the next book.

There's another character who presents themselves along the way, but I'll leave them for everyone to discover.

Since this is a fantasy (with a lot of science fiction mixed in) of course there's a lot of space/time continuum, multi-dimensional, genetically altered aspects along with a god who powers the city who suddenly gets very hungry for the spark that Clara and the other Spark Maidens provide.

I think I followed the story really well; Julie does a great job of describing everything that happens in a way that I was able to visualize it. I made several guesses as to what I thought was going to happen and be revealed along the way, and I'm proud to say I actually figured a few things out! Normally with Julie's stories, I make guesses that always come up wrong. The story really ramped up at the end and I was holding my breath, waiting to see if all would end well. Several of the questions I have, look like they'll be addressed in the next book, and I can't wait to read it. This is really turning into a world that I can see Julie expanding on for quite a while and I'm excited for it!

This is a 5-star read, in my opinion. It was so unique! One of the MMCs had me giggling through the whole book. The transformation of some of the characters and the uncomfortable feeling of others are very compelling. There are some I’m just not sure about. It does have a darker feel in some parts of the story, but it really added to the ending and where the story is going to go. You could tell JA Huss had fun writing this and I’m so happy I read it.

I didn’t know I needed JA Huss to write another fantasy/sci-fi until just now. This definitely took me back to the creativity of the I Am Just Junco series.
The concept in Sparktopia where Spark maidens are competing for a slot as a chosen maiden, ranked and then live in luxury during their 10 year tenure gives total modern day reality tv show vibes. Then throw in that the reason for the spark maidens is because they are sacrifices to a Tower God and boom, into fantasy land we go.
The book was a super easy read and I was racing through because I was so interested in what was going to happen next. I loved the bouncing POVs; 4 povs and they do not rotate equally. The pov changes felt natural to progress the story vs the typical round robin switching evenly.
I didn’t pay attention going in to if this book was going to be a standalone or part of a series. As I started nearing the end of the story, I was hoping that this wasn’t a standalone because I want to know more about this world. I will definitely be immersing myself back in this world at the first chance I get.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I really loved the premise of this book but overall there were several aspects that meant that it wasn't for me. The world building and character development felt quite shallow, not as complex or rich as I would have liked, but the main problem was the amount of smut. Some enjoy smut, and I occasionally do not mind it, but there were far too many sex scenes in this book for me to find it enjoyable.

I received this book as an ARC. I think this is a really interesting book with a fascinating storyline. Unfortunately, I feel like there were moments in the book that really let it down.

First of all, the only character that I really liked was Tyse. Clare had her moments but the other 2 POVs (Finn and Jasina) were very unlikeable. While I would like to think that was intentional, I think they simply didn’t have any redeeming qualities.

I found the story to be a bit confusing and had to reread paragraphs to understand the concepts behind augments/sparks/etc.

I am intrigued to see what will happen in the next book l.

Unfortunately, despite its intriguing concept, this book failed to captivate me. The characters felt one-dimensional and lacked the depth I crave in a story. Their personalities, motivations, and backstories were underdeveloped, making it challenging for me to form an emotional connection with them.
The writing style, while clear, was disappointingly bland and lacked the nuance and complexity I've come to expect. The tone was uniform throughout, failing to convey the emotional resonance that would have elevated the story. The author's prose didn't resonate with me, and I found myself struggling to stay invested in the story.

The relationships between characters were poorly executed and felt forced, lacking the chemistry and authenticity that makes interactions between characters believable and compelling. The dialogue often felt stilted, and the characters' interactions didn't drive the plot forward in a meaningful way.
Furthermore, I was overwhelmed by the excessive focus on physical descriptions and smut, which detracted me a lot from the story's core. While I find smut enjoyable, it should complement the narrative, not overshadow it.

Overall, I was disappointed by this book's failure to deliver on its promising concept. With more attention to character development, writing style, and relationship building, this story could have been elevated to a more engaging and memorable read.

Where should I begin with this review because I honestly have a lot of confused feelings for this book? Like, as I’m sitting and typing this review, I still couldn’t make up my mind about the dominant feeling I had after reading the book. Should I grade this according to my standards for erotica books? Should I grade it according to my standards for sci-fi stories? Or maybe I’ll just use my criteria for grading fantasy books?

So okay, let’s put the confusion aside and familiarize ourselves first with how the story of Sparktopia went. In the fictional world of Tau City wherein electricity is highly regulated and a rare commodity, selected women are born gifted with a spark; yes, as in electrical spark. Every decade, a festive event called the Extraction (another weird term for beauty pageant actually, only difference is that one aspect of the show is that the women are required to show off their sparking abilities ) is organized wherein these women are encouraged to join wherein at the end, ten out of the hundred hopefuls will be selected and marked as Spark Maidens. The Maiden who has the highest amount of spark in her body is the only one who gets to enter the tower and be sacrificed to the god who makes the electricity to power up the whole City. The other 9 Maidens, meanwhile, will get to live their lives lavishly for the succeeding ten years until such time that another Extraction event is organized. These maidens will then retire or get married or live the lives that they want, wealthy and respected. Our 28-year old heroine, Clara Birch, is Maiden number 9 and she got somewhat complacent because there’s only three months left of being beholden to the Tower god before she can leave the Tower and marry the love of her life, Finn Scott.

Unfortunately, fate has other plans for Clara because the bells kept on ringing, signalling that the god is no longer satiated with just one sacrificial Maiden every 10 years. The entity in the tower is getting hungrier and hungrier as the weeks passed by and it has already gobbled up Maiden number 8. And as much as she prayed for the three months to end without the ringing of bells, the bells rang again summoning Clara Birch. This is where the exciting part starts because you can’t help but anticipate and dread what’s coming for our heroine. Will she escape? How? Will she be saved by some deux ex machina? Will she be the girl of destiny who uncover the truth behind the existence of the deity? Will the love of her life save her? These were the questions that really made me read this book non-stop because the Tower god is as creepy and mysterious as f—ck and I just want some answers.

I must admit that my excitement about where the story was going was kind of shadowed with how I disliked Finn Scott and Clara Birch to the core. They’re one of the most superficial leading characters that I have the misfortune to meet in my reading career. Finn Scott is a spineless a-hole who thinks with his dick rather than his brain. And Clara Birch is one entitled, gaslighting bitch who thinks that she just can just have it easy without thinking that she’s living a life that’s too good to be true. And what’s with all the sex scenes and all the slut/whore calling that seemed so out of place in the whole story? I really don’t mind reading smut or anything explicit as long as it’s within context but some of the sex scenes in this book feel like they were just injected as fillers or as advertisement or maybe, to make the story longer. And then, another heroine (Jasina) and hero (Tyse) were introduced, which are more likeable as far as I am concerned. But still, I am kind of weirded out because once these characters were interacting with our other leading characters, the convo and other scenes just slip into out-of-this-world sexual territory. I just have to suspend my disbelief because there’s just no way that sex is just thrown casually by the author here and there.

So what I’m saying is that, the plot was definitely well-executed peppered with delicious surprises here and there. The author definitely has a good idea where the story of Sparktopia is going. She had laid out a solid foundation which really made for this one an entertaining read albeit my loathing for Clara and Finn. The spark system was definitely innovative and thoroughly explained so it was not that hard to grasp how everything worked. But boy oh boy, I could not give this book a much higher rating because of the unnecessary smut, and the repetitive slut-whore shaming. And well, this book could have also benefitted a lot if it was shorter because the other scenes (esp. the smutty ones) are just non-value adding to the whole mission of the story.

3.25

The plot of this book is everything I didn't know I wanted.
The first quarter is pure fantasy. The last three quarters are absolute science fiction. And I loved it.
While I haven't lived long enough to have read all of the books in the known universe, this was an original plot to me. I was confused as hell at first until I continued reading, obviously.
There is a lot of detail in the world that I feel would take a reread to fully comprehend all of it. (I'll be rereading it before the next one comes out, anyway.)

The reason my rating isn't higher, and I wish it could be, so badly, is that I felt like this book was 50% plot-driven, 30% character-driven, and 20% sex driven, and that last part felt forced - a lot. Look at my reading history. I *clearly* don't mind sexual content, no, what I had a hard time with was it was in what would be seemingly inappropriate situations, or hey, I just met you and this is crazy... or hey, let's just randomly talk about the fuckability about any woman for whatever reason, I don't know. It was very distracting.
Because of this I kinda hated Finna and Jasina. I may not have if not for that sex-driven plot device. I don't know why it didn't bother me *as much* with Clara and Tyse, but here we are I guess.

I also think the language between the two worlds should have varied slightly. While I accepted it in the science fiction bit, it didn't match up in the fantasy bit. I ran into some idioms that didn't make sense for wherever these worlds are.

Those are *my* hangups. By all means, do read this book. Please read it. The story *is* worth it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for a chance to review this ARC!

I will start out by saying that the premise was so interesting that I got into this book right when I got accepted for the ARC.
This rating is really disappointing for me… I thought this was going to be a new favourite. Especially when I saw that the MCs were 28 and already in a long term relationship (I’ve been wanting to read more about that).
🚨 This book definitely needs TW. 🚨

Look, there’s a difference between extreme smut & something spicy. Smut is fine in my monster romances or when I actually want to read about that but in my Fantasy books? If they take up more than 10% of the story it will significantly decrease my enjoyment of the story.
Sex scenes, talking about sex, thinking about sex, sexualizing women, etc. Took up at least 50% of the story and didn’t add anything to the story line either. It actually made me mad that it’s her last day in this city forever and all he wants is sex sex sex. They constantly talk about women being ‘fuckable’… it’s so degrading.
And the term ‘fuckable’ is used to describe women quite a lot :/

I wanted to DNF so bad but I didn’t want to cause a dent in my feedback ratio on NetGalley by not reviewing. I had a few other problems with this book (inconsistencies, cringy dialogues, the characters, etc.)

That being said, keep in mind that those are MY personal opinions and you should still read it and see what you think.