Friday, February 20, 2015

{Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway} Spark Rising by Kate Corcino

 

 


Spark Rising by Kate Corcino
Publication date: December 15th 2014
Genres: New Adult, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction

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.


Purchase:

Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)
  • A gift basket including a silver “Dust” opal pendant, a signed paperback of Spark Rising, signed tote, bookmarks, and a mousepad
a Rafflecopter giveaway

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/ZDA0MjUxMjM1OGRlZWRmZWM1YmUyMmFkYTM3OWE5OjY3OQ==/?
 
AUTHOR BIO:
Kate Corcino is a reformed shy girl who found her voice (and uses it…a lot). She believes in magic, coffee, Starburst candies, genre fiction, descriptive profanity, and cackling over wine with good friends. A recovering Dr. Pepper addict, she knows the only addiction worth feeding is the one that follows the “click-whooooosh” of a new story settling into her brain.

She also believes in the transformative power of screwing up and second chances. Cheers to works-in-progress of the literary and lifelong variety!

She is currently gearing up for publication of Ignition Point and Spark Rising , the first books in the Progenitor Saga, a near future dystopian adventure series with romantic elements, science, magic, and plenty of action.

Author links:
{Details} eARC, 402 pages. Published December 15th 2014 by Kate Corcino (first published December 13th 2014). Source: ebook provided in exchange for an honest review

{Rating} 4/5 - I really liked it!

{Review}
"Nothing says 'Home, Sweet Home' like an abandoned gas station." (page 1, line 1)
A unique dystopian world, a very powerful woman forced to confront her past and forge a new future, a revolution in the making, grief, passion, secrets and lies. 
"You would die for freedom. What would you live for?"
eARC, location 769
 Lena has been on her own, hiding, surviving, haunted by her past. It isn't until the day her secrets are uncovered that she's forced to decide what to do with all the power she has. I liked Lena as a heroine, she's strong, imperfect, and confronted by grief, anger and betrayal she finds a way to use all of those things to her benefit. She can also be impulsive and emotional but she'll protect those she loves with everything in her.
"This is a very bad idea." (Alex)
"I'm full of bad ideas. You should be used to it by now." (Lena)
eARC, location 4173
I liked the strong friendships, Ace and Lena's - although we don't get to see too much of it - as well as Thomas and Alex. I liked how Thomas and Alex balance each other, sharing unwavering commitment to the cause of Spark freedom, but can still tease, needle each other and force admissions they'd rather not share.
"She's just so ... tiny. And freckled." (Thomas)
"I like her freckles." (Alex)
eARC, location 3029
Alex Reyes is smart, devious, committed. He's a hard man. He's got his eyes on the prize and is willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. He just never imagined Lena. A Lena that infuriates him, challenges him, makes him want.

Alex and Lena together in one word? Complicated. They strike sparks off of each other. There is attraction, chemistry and annoyance in spades. I appreciated the evolution in their relationship. There may have been attraction at first sight but definitely not instalove. Trust and affection is hard earned and tested at every step but I do love where they ended up.
"I want all of you, not just the pretty sparkly bits that shine in the light."
eARC, location 6283

"Tell me again," she'd demanded softly. "We will make this work."
He'd grinned down at her. "I'm Alex. You're Lena. It's what we do."
eARC, location 6347
While we're not left with a cliffhanger, hallelujah, the battle for freedom is far from over. There are lots of things left unresolved and I'm looking forward to finding out what happens with Lena, Alex, Thomas and the gang in the next book in the Progenitor series.

Be sure to visit the rest of the stops on the Spark Rising tour

1 comment:

  1. Great review! I like the sounds o this one - i love dystopias in general but this sounds unique and with great characters, too. The romance also sounds intense and well written! Glad you liked it! :)

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