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Spark
Unexplained corpses? An unearthly visitor? One game between her team and the playoffs? Yeah, it’s been that kind of day for Francy Mac.
People are dying downtown, their bodies shriveled away to almost nothing. The police are mystified and outrageous rumors are flying. Fifteen year-old Francy Macmillan listens, but says nothing. It isn’t a comfort knowing that no matter how far-fetched the theories, the truth is even stranger.
For Francy, the truth wasn’t very hard to find. It followed her home from basketball practice one night, a floating bauble of light that speaks inside her mind and shares her thoughts and her feelings. Is it an alien wanderer fallen from some distant star? Or a shard of some divine entity? Whatever it is, Spark seems to like her.
But as their friendship grows, a disturbing fact Spark knows who is responsible for those deaths. With Spark’s help, it is up to Francy to stop them. Spark leads Francy into a strange alternate reality, along with her beautiful Echo with the dragon tattoo; moody Brooke with the wicked jaw; and Owen Owens, the boy with the fascinating eyes who may just get around to kissing her one of these days—assuming the world doesn’t end first.
People are dying downtown, their bodies shriveled away to almost nothing. The police are mystified and outrageous rumors are flying. Fifteen year-old Francy Macmillan listens, but says nothing. It isn’t a comfort knowing that no matter how far-fetched the theories, the truth is even stranger.
For Francy, the truth wasn’t very hard to find. It followed her home from basketball practice one night, a floating bauble of light that speaks inside her mind and shares her thoughts and her feelings. Is it an alien wanderer fallen from some distant star? Or a shard of some divine entity? Whatever it is, Spark seems to like her.
But as their friendship grows, a disturbing fact Spark knows who is responsible for those deaths. With Spark’s help, it is up to Francy to stop them. Spark leads Francy into a strange alternate reality, along with her beautiful Echo with the dragon tattoo; moody Brooke with the wicked jaw; and Owen Owens, the boy with the fascinating eyes who may just get around to kissing her one of these days—assuming the world doesn’t end first.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 15, 2014
44 people are currently reading
123 people want to read
About the author
Atthys J. Gage
4 books7 followersAtthys Gage is a writer and musician with a lifelong love for myth, magic, and books. His second real job was in a bookstore. As was his third, fourth, fifth and sixth. Eventually, he stopped trying to sell books and started writing them. He has always had a fascination for that cloudy borderline between the normal and the paranormal and spends a lot of his time thinking about flying carpets and sentient flecks of alien consciousness and other stuff like that. In the so-called normal world, he lives on the coast of Northern California with his long-suffering wife, strong-willed children, and several indifferent chickens.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
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December 20, 2014
Very original story. I don't think I've ever read anything quite like it. It is a beautifully and uniquely written portrayal of what happens when two vastly different worlds collide.
The best part about this book is that the characters are relatable. Francy, Echo, and Brooke are normal teenage girls. They don't have super powers, or a destiny to fulfill, or anything like that. This is what makes them great, and different from most modern day young adult heroines.
Francy's story begins when she stumbles across a paranormal element--Spark. (literally a speck of light who communicates with Francy telepathically.) Spark is an especially interesting character. At times, I even found myself wishing that the author had included more dialogue for Spark, simply because he is such a fascinating character.
Finally, the love story in this book is a subplot, but it is possibly the cutest love story I've ever seen on paper.
I would highly recommend this novel to anyone. It is smart, cute, clever, and riveting. I literally read it in only two sittings, as it was very difficult to put down.
The best part about this book is that the characters are relatable. Francy, Echo, and Brooke are normal teenage girls. They don't have super powers, or a destiny to fulfill, or anything like that. This is what makes them great, and different from most modern day young adult heroines.
Francy's story begins when she stumbles across a paranormal element--Spark. (literally a speck of light who communicates with Francy telepathically.) Spark is an especially interesting character. At times, I even found myself wishing that the author had included more dialogue for Spark, simply because he is such a fascinating character.
Finally, the love story in this book is a subplot, but it is possibly the cutest love story I've ever seen on paper.
I would highly recommend this novel to anyone. It is smart, cute, clever, and riveting. I literally read it in only two sittings, as it was very difficult to put down.
December 30, 2017
Incredible and unique!
This is one of the most original stories I have ever read. Spark is a sentient fleck of light who guides a group of people through an amazing adventure that they never thought possible. The ideas in this author’s mind are rare and wonderful, and I would love to read more.
This is one of the most original stories I have ever read. Spark is a sentient fleck of light who guides a group of people through an amazing adventure that they never thought possible. The ideas in this author’s mind are rare and wonderful, and I would love to read more.
March 16, 2017
Very "cute" story, was YA level, but exciting.
April 1, 2016
I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I have the oddest feeling walking away from this book that I’m not sure I can even begin to describe. Spark by Atthys J. Gage was not what I was expecting, and yet it hit the bullet points of everything it promised. Even now, half an hour after finishing the book, I sit here and marvel at what I just read in a strange state of confusion.
Technically speaking, the book was very well written. I ran across two typos in the entirety of the book, but the narrative was otherwise clean, easy to follow, and lacked grammatical mistakes. The dialogue felt natural, and the characters felt real. I liked them. All of them—even the mean-spirited sarcastic best friend. I was pulled into the story from the get-go, and never felt the need to skim, put the book down, or re-read. Francy, strange name aside, was a compelling and likeable character, and Spark, her light-ball sidekick was a curious—dare I say, “interesting”—little creature that kept me hooked until the very last page. (See what I did there, fellow readers?)
The plot itself… well, that’s where some of my confusion comes in. Don’t get me wrong, I –loved- this book. I really enjoyed it and was thoroughly entertained… but there were parts that were hard to follow. The pocket universe was, well, weird to say the least. Even having finished the book I’m not sure I understand what all was happening throughout those sequences even when I understood the concept of entropy. Frankly, my dissatisfaction (and why this didn’t get a full five stars) came down to the ending. The book felt unfinished. There was this sense of increasing tension throughout the book with the murders, the appearance of spark, and the pocket dimension that begged for a huge mind-blowing reveal and ultimate battle to save Francy’s world… and I felt the ending fell short of that. I won’t get into too much detail because SPOILERS—but it fell a bit flat for me. I was expecting more…. and then the end o the book came and went, and I sat back and went “Oh. That’s it?”
Does that change how much I liked the book? No. I enjoyed it, and I want to read more from this author… but on the same token, I’m seriously hoping for a sequel to help explain and further iron out what happened in Spark. It doesn’t feel done to me. Overall, I loved the book. It was both better, and odder than I expected, and I was entertained. Spark is perfect for young teens on up, and I’d have no problem handing it over to my twelve-year-old to read. If you like YA fantasy or science fiction with a little bit of romance and a whole lot of strange, I’d definitely suggest checking this out.
I have the oddest feeling walking away from this book that I’m not sure I can even begin to describe. Spark by Atthys J. Gage was not what I was expecting, and yet it hit the bullet points of everything it promised. Even now, half an hour after finishing the book, I sit here and marvel at what I just read in a strange state of confusion.
Technically speaking, the book was very well written. I ran across two typos in the entirety of the book, but the narrative was otherwise clean, easy to follow, and lacked grammatical mistakes. The dialogue felt natural, and the characters felt real. I liked them. All of them—even the mean-spirited sarcastic best friend. I was pulled into the story from the get-go, and never felt the need to skim, put the book down, or re-read. Francy, strange name aside, was a compelling and likeable character, and Spark, her light-ball sidekick was a curious—dare I say, “interesting”—little creature that kept me hooked until the very last page. (See what I did there, fellow readers?)
The plot itself… well, that’s where some of my confusion comes in. Don’t get me wrong, I –loved- this book. I really enjoyed it and was thoroughly entertained… but there were parts that were hard to follow. The pocket universe was, well, weird to say the least. Even having finished the book I’m not sure I understand what all was happening throughout those sequences even when I understood the concept of entropy. Frankly, my dissatisfaction (and why this didn’t get a full five stars) came down to the ending. The book felt unfinished. There was this sense of increasing tension throughout the book with the murders, the appearance of spark, and the pocket dimension that begged for a huge mind-blowing reveal and ultimate battle to save Francy’s world… and I felt the ending fell short of that. I won’t get into too much detail because SPOILERS—but it fell a bit flat for me. I was expecting more…. and then the end o the book came and went, and I sat back and went “Oh. That’s it?”
Does that change how much I liked the book? No. I enjoyed it, and I want to read more from this author… but on the same token, I’m seriously hoping for a sequel to help explain and further iron out what happened in Spark. It doesn’t feel done to me. Overall, I loved the book. It was both better, and odder than I expected, and I was entertained. Spark is perfect for young teens on up, and I’d have no problem handing it over to my twelve-year-old to read. If you like YA fantasy or science fiction with a little bit of romance and a whole lot of strange, I’d definitely suggest checking this out.
March 26, 2016
Full of smells, memories and music, Spark tells the story of a girl and her friends and how crazy and magical the world truly is. I was captivated by this book’s interesting premise, stayed for the mystery and intrigue and was rewarded by the lovely characters and their interactions. The communication between all of the figures is uniquely intimate (you’ll understand why once you read it).
The writing style may not be for everyone, it can seem a bit disjointed and confusing at times. However, the chaotic style nicely underlines the theories that crop up in the book. That is one thing I truly enjoyed: the witty, intelligent conversations about (meta)physics. This YA book dives into philosophical questions, while keeping the characters grounded with mundane issues and a little easy-going romance on the side. I enjoyed the beginning a lot - the heroine is quick to involve her friends which I appreciate- and the mystery elements tie the story together quite well. The ending felt a tad rushed, a longer chapter or two would have been nice. But all in all, I enjoyed this fast read, it kept me entertained and was definitely a change in pace from many other YA novels.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy a good YA that isn’t afraid to push past the boundaries of the known.
The writing style may not be for everyone, it can seem a bit disjointed and confusing at times. However, the chaotic style nicely underlines the theories that crop up in the book. That is one thing I truly enjoyed: the witty, intelligent conversations about (meta)physics. This YA book dives into philosophical questions, while keeping the characters grounded with mundane issues and a little easy-going romance on the side. I enjoyed the beginning a lot - the heroine is quick to involve her friends which I appreciate- and the mystery elements tie the story together quite well. The ending felt a tad rushed, a longer chapter or two would have been nice. But all in all, I enjoyed this fast read, it kept me entertained and was definitely a change in pace from many other YA novels.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy a good YA that isn’t afraid to push past the boundaries of the known.
May 20, 2023
Francy is a 'normal' teenage girl, with nothing outstanding about her that she recognises. She is doing okay at school, has some good friends, and is on the Basketball team. So why would an alien entity decide to take up residence with her?
We stay with Francy as she enters a world of alien theories, collapsed fulcrums, mathematics, entropy and yoga. It is a whirlwind of theories that made my head spin at times. I loved Francy's dad's explanation of entropy, with analogies of having a 9-year-old child. Perfect!
There is intrigue and suspense in this book as Francy tries to figure out just what is going on, and more importantly, how she can help in any way. Then we also have a splash of romance as she and Owen become closer.
This is not your normal, run-of-the-mill Young Adult tale. It will intrigue and delight as the story takes you along. Different from anything I have read, I would not hesitate to recommend it.
* I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 23, 2016
We stay with Francy as she enters a world of alien theories, collapsed fulcrums, mathematics, entropy and yoga. It is a whirlwind of theories that made my head spin at times. I loved Francy's dad's explanation of entropy, with analogies of having a 9-year-old child. Perfect!
There is intrigue and suspense in this book as Francy tries to figure out just what is going on, and more importantly, how she can help in any way. Then we also have a splash of romance as she and Owen become closer.
This is not your normal, run-of-the-mill Young Adult tale. It will intrigue and delight as the story takes you along. Different from anything I have read, I would not hesitate to recommend it.
* I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 23, 2016
September 15, 2016
Spark by Atthys J. Gage is one of those rare books that is a mixture of all genres. It really works in this case though. Everything is so perfectly blended that you keep reading it and you never really want the story to end.
This is one of those books that you have to read. So well put together and paced. I really enjoyed the story and the characters. My favorite character was Spark. He/she (gender neutral) was the glue that kept the characters together.
A tip of the hat to Mr. Gage for writing such a compelling book. I will recommend it to others and I give it 5/5 Platypires.
This is one of those books that you have to read. So well put together and paced. I really enjoyed the story and the characters. My favorite character was Spark. He/she (gender neutral) was the glue that kept the characters together.
A tip of the hat to Mr. Gage for writing such a compelling book. I will recommend it to others and I give it 5/5 Platypires.
June 3, 2018
Ok I liked it but don't like being forced to write a review to move on ! This even includes a minimum number of words !! Really ! That's ridiculous !I have to write 20 more words !! This is so annoying !! Not appreciated !!
The book was ok but I don't appreciate being forced to write a review to move on! That's ridiculous !!
The book was ok but I don't appreciate being forced to write a review to move on! That's ridiculous !!
January 1, 2018
A new kind of being
Spark comes to earth and builds a relationship with a teenager going through a socially awkward time. Together they learn how to for in.
Spark comes to earth and builds a relationship with a teenager going through a socially awkward time. Together they learn how to for in.
July 22, 2019
Not bad for a teen book..not my usual read but it was a different concept
June 24, 2015
This is a very original book. I'm not sure it can be classified as Young Adult, except insofar as the characters are of that age. But the concepts are sometimes quite abstruse and not typical of YA books in general. It's very well written, the dialogue comes across as natural, and there's a good balance between description, dialogue and action. The explanations give a plausibility to it all, even if it remains a blend of paranormal and sci-fi. I particularly enjoyed the discussions of entropy. At times, these can slow the pace down - this isn't a high drama, action packed thriller, but it nails the atmosphere very well thanks to some elegant writing, and all the characters are well-drawn and distinctive. I also enjoyed the descriptions of basketball games, the bike ride, the dentist's chair - there are plenty of concrete details that make these episodes come alive. Obviously one has to buy into the premise of the whole story, but the first appearance of Spark is so deftly handled that this is not a problem. Altogether, an excellent combination of youthful characters, mysterious happenings and scientific or philosophical themes.
November 12, 2015
I want to preface this review by saying that I ultimately enjoyed the story. I know, that sounds like the beginning of a terrible review but it isn't. The book was fun; however, I found it quite difficult to find the time to read this book. I think my problem with it was the pacing; it would also have benefited from stricter editing. Despite understanding why those passages were in the book, I didn't see the need for their length and found myself skimming through quite a few passages that just seemed to drag on. . The climax of the book fell a little flat as well.
I enjoyed all of the characters but felt there was room for even more development, especially when it comes to Spark. S/he was entertaining and intriguing.
I would most likely read a sequel (though it wouldn't be at the top of the must read list) and recommend this book to young adult, science fiction fans.
Note: The author provided me a copy of this book in exchange for my review.
I enjoyed all of the characters but felt there was room for even more development, especially when it comes to Spark. S/he was entertaining and intriguing.
I would most likely read a sequel (though it wouldn't be at the top of the must read list) and recommend this book to young adult, science fiction fans.
Note: The author provided me a copy of this book in exchange for my review.
February 16, 2015
Spark is a fun read because it captures much of the complexities of being a teenager (balancing sports, romance, family, friends) and adds in extra adventure with an extra-terrestrial. It's unpredictable and while it's not constantly engaging, it makes you think.
I found myself ping-ponging back and forth on who to trust in the book, and who to run away from. Gage does a nice job of drawing out suspense long enough for readers to form their own suspicions, but not so long that you stop caring. Though there are scenes that were not particularly related to the main plot, they were well written so I didn't find myself skipping over them too much.
Spark is well worth the visit as it is a new take on aliens and the ending will catch you off guard.
I found myself ping-ponging back and forth on who to trust in the book, and who to run away from. Gage does a nice job of drawing out suspense long enough for readers to form their own suspicions, but not so long that you stop caring. Though there are scenes that were not particularly related to the main plot, they were well written so I didn't find myself skipping over them too much.
Spark is well worth the visit as it is a new take on aliens and the ending will catch you off guard.
April 27, 2017
it's not the usual, which was a nice change
I didn't like the early narrative style - I expected something to happen to make Spark well-known since she assumed that what why the reader was reading. it was slow until about the second Pocket visit and then sped up, but was, to me, an unsatisfying ending. it wasn't bad, just not for me.
I didn't like the early narrative style - I expected something to happen to make Spark well-known since she assumed that what why the reader was reading. it was slow until about the second Pocket visit and then sped up, but was, to me, an unsatisfying ending. it wasn't bad, just not for me.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews