What I Thought

I am, and will always remain a huge fan of dystopian reads. I like the way they portray the future, so desolate, yet something in our world has the ability to stand up and fight. In this excellent, YA, read we find ourselves in a barren future, where the world has run out of fossil fuels. The people depend on a new breed, called Sparks, who use their powers to control the energy-giving dust. However, just as we could expect, the people who have these powers aren't treated well, they are used by those in power. However, all it takes is one person to start a wave of change.

Lena, for all intensive purposes, is dead. Her parents saw the way the Sparks were treated and wanted something else for their child. So, they faked her death, mourned her and then, when the time came, she left to live a freer life, where she sold her powers on the black market. She would never have to deal with the suffering her fellow Sparks did...until she met him.

Just like every great dystopian read, we always love to see a hero rise out of the ashes to bring about a world of change and happiness. Lena may become that Spark, that heroine, with the help of Alex. The two know the world, what it has become and at least one of them will do whatever it takes to see it change.

I loved reading along as Lena came into her own. She had a goal and life in mind, but as she meets Alex we watch her change and grow into so much more than she believed possible. She is a strong, fiesty, fun character and one that I enjoyed learning about throughout the book. Alex and Lena, though different in many ways, make an excellent team, bringing out the best and worst in each other, in so many ways. Reading along as they embark on their adventure was very exciting and a great new look on dystopian reads.

I loved the depth of character that we were given by Corcino. She led us into each new character very lightly, giving us a feel for them, but not giving away too much. We then got to know bits and pieces about them and their personality, as we carried on. I really liked this, as, by the end of the book, I felt as though I knew them like my own mates.

The pace of the book was very good. It was fast-paced enough to have the excitement and joy of a great YA read, as well as the detail and depth needed for a believable dystopian read - Corcino has created a great blend of the two.

Overall, I really liked this read. It was fun, adventurous and had a new outlook to it. I also loved the strong female lead and the adventurous Alex, with the sheer determination to make a difference. I cannot wait to read more by Corcino. ( )