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Game of Gods
Sparktopia
Spark is light, Spark is magic, Spark is power.
Spark is everything and it blooms inside the bodies of Tau City’s young women. Once a decade, in exchange for enough power to keep the city modern and comfortable, a Spark Maiden must be sacrificed to their mysterious tower god in a ritual called The Extraction.
Ten Maidens are Chosen, but only one enters the tower as a sacrifice, never to be seen again. The nine leftovers are elevated to celebrity status and spend the next decade living in the luxurious Maiden Tower, wearing couture gala gowns, and partying with the city’s most interesting and beautiful people. Every young woman in Tau City wants to be a Spark Maiden because the odds have always been in their favor.
Until now.
One by one, the greedy god has summoned the leftover Spark Maidens into sacrifice. When Clara Birch, Spark Maiden number nine, gets the call, she fully expects her fiancé, Finn Scott, the Extraction Master’s son, to save her.
Spoiler He’s not going to.
At the same time, a rebellion is brewing. The forgotten underclass is plotting the end of the god and his tower with strategically-placed Rebel spies that will bring it all down. Jasina Bell is a young woman on a mission to make history and she will stop at nothing to get the fame she deserves.
When Clara is forced into the tower against her will, she makes an unexpected discovery. There is no god—just a man, one willing to do what Finn Scott wouldn’ save Clara Birch.
Even if it means destroying the entire world to do so.
Betrayal and sacrifice, loyalty and power plays—four people are entangled across time and space as they seek truth, freedom, and true love in this wild and twisted adult romantasy that will have listeners breathlessly listening until the final tick.
Spark is everything and it blooms inside the bodies of Tau City’s young women. Once a decade, in exchange for enough power to keep the city modern and comfortable, a Spark Maiden must be sacrificed to their mysterious tower god in a ritual called The Extraction.
Ten Maidens are Chosen, but only one enters the tower as a sacrifice, never to be seen again. The nine leftovers are elevated to celebrity status and spend the next decade living in the luxurious Maiden Tower, wearing couture gala gowns, and partying with the city’s most interesting and beautiful people. Every young woman in Tau City wants to be a Spark Maiden because the odds have always been in their favor.
Until now.
One by one, the greedy god has summoned the leftover Spark Maidens into sacrifice. When Clara Birch, Spark Maiden number nine, gets the call, she fully expects her fiancé, Finn Scott, the Extraction Master’s son, to save her.
Spoiler He’s not going to.
At the same time, a rebellion is brewing. The forgotten underclass is plotting the end of the god and his tower with strategically-placed Rebel spies that will bring it all down. Jasina Bell is a young woman on a mission to make history and she will stop at nothing to get the fame she deserves.
When Clara is forced into the tower against her will, she makes an unexpected discovery. There is no god—just a man, one willing to do what Finn Scott wouldn’ save Clara Birch.
Even if it means destroying the entire world to do so.
Betrayal and sacrifice, loyalty and power plays—four people are entangled across time and space as they seek truth, freedom, and true love in this wild and twisted adult romantasy that will have listeners breathlessly listening until the final tick.
Audible Audio
First published September 19, 2024
289 people are currently reading
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About the author
J.A. Huss
135 books9,039 followersJ.A. Huss never wanted to be a writer and she still dreams of that elusive career as an astronaut. She originally went to school to become an equine veterinarian but soon figured out they keep horrible hours and decided to go to grad school instead. That Ph.D wasn’t all it was cracked up to be (and she really sucked at the whole scientist thing), so she dropped out and got a M.S. in forensic toxicology just to get the whole thing over with as soon as possible.
After graduation she got a job with the state of Colorado as their one and only hog farm inspector and spent her days wandering the Eastern Plains shooting the shit with farmers. After a few years of that, she got bored. And since she was a homeschool mom and actually does love science, she decided to write science textbooks and make online classes for other homeschool moms. She wrote more than two hundred of those workbooks and was the number one publisher at the online homeschool store many times, but eventually she covered every science topic she could think of and ran out of shit to say.
So in 2012 she decided to write fiction instead. That year she released her first three books and started a career that would make her a New York Times bestseller and land her on the USA Today Bestseller’s List eighteen times in the next three years. Her books have sold millions of copies all over the world, the audio version of her semi-autobiographical book, Eighteen, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award and an Audie award in 2016 and 2017 respectively, her audiobook Mr. Perfect was nominated for a Voice Arts Award in 2017, and her book, Taking Turns, was nominated for an Audie Award in 2018. Johnathan McClain is her first (and only) writing partner and even though they are worlds apart in just about every way imaginable, it works.
She lives on a ranch in Central Colorado with her family.
After graduation she got a job with the state of Colorado as their one and only hog farm inspector and spent her days wandering the Eastern Plains shooting the shit with farmers. After a few years of that, she got bored. And since she was a homeschool mom and actually does love science, she decided to write science textbooks and make online classes for other homeschool moms. She wrote more than two hundred of those workbooks and was the number one publisher at the online homeschool store many times, but eventually she covered every science topic she could think of and ran out of shit to say.
So in 2012 she decided to write fiction instead. That year she released her first three books and started a career that would make her a New York Times bestseller and land her on the USA Today Bestseller’s List eighteen times in the next three years. Her books have sold millions of copies all over the world, the audio version of her semi-autobiographical book, Eighteen, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award and an Audie award in 2016 and 2017 respectively, her audiobook Mr. Perfect was nominated for a Voice Arts Award in 2017, and her book, Taking Turns, was nominated for an Audie Award in 2018. Johnathan McClain is her first (and only) writing partner and even though they are worlds apart in just about every way imaginable, it works.
She lives on a ranch in Central Colorado with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
October 14, 2025
so this book had such a promising concept. I was genuinely hyped going in but it just didn’t deliver. Like, at all. The characters? Flat as a dry pancake. They lacked the depth and layers that make you feel something, you know? I wanted to root for them, cry with them, something. But their motivations and backstories felt either skimmed over or straight-up nonexistent. It’s hard to care about what’s happening when you don’t care about who it’s happening to.
The writing style didn’t help either. It was clear, sure, but it was also painfully bland. There was no spark, no energy, no subtlety. I kept waiting for the tone to shift or the emotions to hit harder, but it just stayed at this one, super-neutral level. The prose felt functional, not memorable. I can’t even quote anything from it because nothing really stuck with me.
Then there were the relationships, which honestly felt so forced. Like, where was the chemistry? The authenticity? The kind of natural flow that makes you root for the connections between characters? Instead, we got stilted dialogue that felt more like filler than anything meaningful, and their interactions didn’t do much to move the story forward. It felt like the relationships were there because they had to be, not because they made sense or added value to the plot.
And let’s talk about the smut. Look, I’m all for a good steamy scene. who isn’t? but it felt like that was all this book had to offer. The endless focus on physical descriptions and sexual content completely overshadowed the actual story. It got to the point where I was like, “Is this plot just a vehicle for smut? Because it sure feels like it.” Smut should enhance the narrative, not drown it out. all in all this book just didn’t hit the mark for me. It had potential, but between the flat characters, uninspired writing, awkward relationships, and an over-reliance on steamy scenes, it ended up feeling hollow. With stronger character development, more thoughtful prose, and relationships that actually make sense, this could’ve been a solid read. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t.
— ARC provided by the author—J. A. HUSS—in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own!
The writing style didn’t help either. It was clear, sure, but it was also painfully bland. There was no spark, no energy, no subtlety. I kept waiting for the tone to shift or the emotions to hit harder, but it just stayed at this one, super-neutral level. The prose felt functional, not memorable. I can’t even quote anything from it because nothing really stuck with me.
Then there were the relationships, which honestly felt so forced. Like, where was the chemistry? The authenticity? The kind of natural flow that makes you root for the connections between characters? Instead, we got stilted dialogue that felt more like filler than anything meaningful, and their interactions didn’t do much to move the story forward. It felt like the relationships were there because they had to be, not because they made sense or added value to the plot.
And let’s talk about the smut. Look, I’m all for a good steamy scene. who isn’t? but it felt like that was all this book had to offer. The endless focus on physical descriptions and sexual content completely overshadowed the actual story. It got to the point where I was like, “Is this plot just a vehicle for smut? Because it sure feels like it.” Smut should enhance the narrative, not drown it out. all in all this book just didn’t hit the mark for me. It had potential, but between the flat characters, uninspired writing, awkward relationships, and an over-reliance on steamy scenes, it ended up feeling hollow. With stronger character development, more thoughtful prose, and relationships that actually make sense, this could’ve been a solid read. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t.
— ARC provided by the author—J. A. HUSS—in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own!
August 6, 2024
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 :/ or whore, or slut. It’s so degrading. I can’t say more without spoiling but I really couldn’t believe what I was reading at least 10 times.
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 lot of problems with this book but I want to forget I ever read it so I will not dwell on it.
That being said, keep in mind that those are MY personal opinions and you should still read it and see what you think.
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 :/ or whore, or slut. It’s so degrading. I can’t say more without spoiling but I really couldn’t believe what I was reading at least 10 times.
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 lot of problems with this book but I want to forget I ever read it so I will not dwell on it.
That being said, keep in mind that those are MY personal opinions and you should still read it and see what you think.
June 18, 2025
LOVED this so much! This is a romantasy by one of my favorite authors. I have NO idea how she can write a book this long and keep me hooked all the way through. It's a rare author who can orchestrate a plot this complex and keep the tension high and not info dump the story. SO good! The second book is coming out in a few weeks and I am SO ready!
August 10, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley and the Author for letting me read and review this book. You may also find this review at: https://snoozlykitsune.com/2024/08/10...
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.
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.
September 23, 2024
I really had high hopes for this. I was so annoyed with Clara and Finn in part one, but thankfully that changed for Clara.
But Finn... it was truly a job for me to get through his parts. He's absolutely disgusting and how he treats women was nausea inducing. I wish he wouldn't have gotten his own POV, I could *maybe* hold out hope for him getting better. Manipulating girls to have sex is fucking gross and it really brought his storyline down, in turn just really ruining the rest for me.
But Finn... it was truly a job for me to get through his parts. He's absolutely disgusting and how he treats women was nausea inducing. I wish he wouldn't have gotten his own POV, I could *maybe* hold out hope for him getting better. Manipulating girls to have sex is fucking gross and it really brought his storyline down, in turn just really ruining the rest for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2025
3.75 Stars ⭐️
Well, this one had me going back and forth before writing this review. Overall, I think the premise was unique and extremely interesting. In fact, it wasn't until the very end of the book that I completely understood the premise of exactly HOW the two locations were related. I think some more detailed world building might have helped with that, but part of my hesitation comes with the main characters.
In this book, there are 4 main characters as the story unfolds. We have Clara Birch - a Spark Maiden whom the majority of the story revolves around, and her childhood boyfriend Finn Scott, the Extraction Master’s son. During the second half of the story, we meet Jasina Bell, a Little Sister going through the Choosing and then Tyse Saarinen, a washed-out soldier who is actually an Augment. The thing is, I didn't really like ANY of them.
Actually, that's not true. I did like Tyse - quite a lot. But everyone else, especially Finn, well, they were just completely awful people. When I say awful, I mean it. By the end of this book, I could NOT stand Finn and Jasina wasn't much better. Clara actually has a bit of a redemptive arc, but for most of the book she is also a clueless and entitled person who doesn't really care about anything if it does not impact her.
So, liking the characters is a pretty important prerequisite in liking a book, so it says a lot that I still came away interested in whatever is going to happen next in this series. This book has a science fiction/fantasy storyline based in a world where there is a "god" that has an agreement with a city to run the city (think electric and city services) and requires one Spark Maiden to be volunteered up every decade. There are whole customs and societal norms revolving around this that help the citizens overlook the fact that they are giving their daughters up as a sacrifice. The problems begin when the "god" changes the plans and 9 of the Spark Maidens are called up during a single time period. Clara Birch is number 9.
The second half of the book takes place after Clara is sacrificed, and it deals with what happens to her during the "after". Without going into spoilers, let's just say that nothing is what it seems, and nothing was what anyone expected.
Again, the storyline itself was interesting and I was invested, but there were a couple of things that kept pulling me out of the story. One, as already stated, was the unlikability of the characters. The other was the constant degradation of women by the males in this story. The words "whore" and "slut" are used a lot, and I mean A LOT. The first couple of times it came off as somewhat of a shock, but then it started to become annoying with just how often it was thrown out towards female characters.
To top that off, there was the disjointed insertion of s*x in places that were completely inappropriate. I have absolutely no problem with s*x being a part - even a huge part- of a story. What occurs in this story is just....odd. The MMC Finn seems to all of a sudden change from a supposed nice guy to a man who cannot stop thinking about s*x, even to the point where he feels like he is OWED it on the day that his girlfriend Clara is about to be sacrificed. His internal monologue detailing what he begins to "expect" is just disturbing - and don't get me started on his actions when it comes to the other female MC. Yeah, I don't think that my first and only thought when I realize that the place that I am in is about to explode is to get my rocks off....and then to just fall asleep?????? See.....odd.
So, there is definitely room for improvement in the next book and I hope that we get redemptive arcs for these three characters. Honestly, I don't think Finn can be redeemed, but I can still have hope for Clara and Jasina.
Well, this one had me going back and forth before writing this review. Overall, I think the premise was unique and extremely interesting. In fact, it wasn't until the very end of the book that I completely understood the premise of exactly HOW the two locations were related. I think some more detailed world building might have helped with that, but part of my hesitation comes with the main characters.
In this book, there are 4 main characters as the story unfolds. We have Clara Birch - a Spark Maiden whom the majority of the story revolves around, and her childhood boyfriend Finn Scott, the Extraction Master’s son. During the second half of the story, we meet Jasina Bell, a Little Sister going through the Choosing and then Tyse Saarinen, a washed-out soldier who is actually an Augment. The thing is, I didn't really like ANY of them.
Actually, that's not true. I did like Tyse - quite a lot. But everyone else, especially Finn, well, they were just completely awful people. When I say awful, I mean it. By the end of this book, I could NOT stand Finn and Jasina wasn't much better. Clara actually has a bit of a redemptive arc, but for most of the book she is also a clueless and entitled person who doesn't really care about anything if it does not impact her.
So, liking the characters is a pretty important prerequisite in liking a book, so it says a lot that I still came away interested in whatever is going to happen next in this series. This book has a science fiction/fantasy storyline based in a world where there is a "god" that has an agreement with a city to run the city (think electric and city services) and requires one Spark Maiden to be volunteered up every decade. There are whole customs and societal norms revolving around this that help the citizens overlook the fact that they are giving their daughters up as a sacrifice. The problems begin when the "god" changes the plans and 9 of the Spark Maidens are called up during a single time period. Clara Birch is number 9.
The second half of the book takes place after Clara is sacrificed, and it deals with what happens to her during the "after". Without going into spoilers, let's just say that nothing is what it seems, and nothing was what anyone expected.
Again, the storyline itself was interesting and I was invested, but there were a couple of things that kept pulling me out of the story. One, as already stated, was the unlikability of the characters. The other was the constant degradation of women by the males in this story. The words "whore" and "slut" are used a lot, and I mean A LOT. The first couple of times it came off as somewhat of a shock, but then it started to become annoying with just how often it was thrown out towards female characters.
To top that off, there was the disjointed insertion of s*x in places that were completely inappropriate. I have absolutely no problem with s*x being a part - even a huge part- of a story. What occurs in this story is just....odd. The MMC Finn seems to all of a sudden change from a supposed nice guy to a man who cannot stop thinking about s*x, even to the point where he feels like he is OWED it on the day that his girlfriend Clara is about to be sacrificed. His internal monologue detailing what he begins to "expect" is just disturbing - and don't get me started on his actions when it comes to the other female MC. Yeah, I don't think that my first and only thought when I realize that the place that I am in is about to explode is to get my rocks off....and then to just fall asleep?????? See.....odd.
So, there is definitely room for improvement in the next book and I hope that we get redemptive arcs for these three characters. Honestly, I don't think Finn can be redeemed, but I can still have hope for Clara and Jasina.
March 7, 2025
I listened to the audiobook adaptation. However, Goodreads doesn’t have said adaptation available on their platform.. that’s why I went for the Kindle edition instead.
I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into when I started this book, and honestly? That made the experience even better.
This cast? I loved them all. Every single voice brings life into the story, making the full-cast narration one of the most interesting ones I’ve ever listened to. It gives you such an intimate look into every perspective, making the world feel so real. And what a world it is—this is officially one of my favourite fantasy settings.
As a romantasy, Sparktopia is like nothing I’ve read before. It’s unique, intricate, and filled with depth, keeping me completely captivated from start to finish. Oh, and let’s not forget the spice—vivid is an understatement.
Also, let’s talk about Tyse. Tyse. I’m officially in love. Someone find me a Tyse in real life, please.
The ending? Tense but so worth it. I was holding my breath, but thankfully, it all wrapped up in a way that left me so satisfied.
This book is an experience. One I won’t forget anytime soon.
I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into when I started this book, and honestly? That made the experience even better.
This cast? I loved them all. Every single voice brings life into the story, making the full-cast narration one of the most interesting ones I’ve ever listened to. It gives you such an intimate look into every perspective, making the world feel so real. And what a world it is—this is officially one of my favourite fantasy settings.
As a romantasy, Sparktopia is like nothing I’ve read before. It’s unique, intricate, and filled with depth, keeping me completely captivated from start to finish. Oh, and let’s not forget the spice—vivid is an understatement.
Also, let’s talk about Tyse. Tyse. I’m officially in love. Someone find me a Tyse in real life, please.
The ending? Tense but so worth it. I was holding my breath, but thankfully, it all wrapped up in a way that left me so satisfied.
This book is an experience. One I won’t forget anytime soon.
April 28, 2025
Fantastic
This is a prime example of the genius of JA Huss. She sits you back in a story that is sublime and brave and so interesting and then BLAM, you are through a trap door, down a twisty slide, submerged, and you pop your head up into the 2nd story. And each story feeds off the other and it’s so wonderful. I love all her books and I swear every one I think, this is my favorite.
This is a prime example of the genius of JA Huss. She sits you back in a story that is sublime and brave and so interesting and then BLAM, you are through a trap door, down a twisty slide, submerged, and you pop your head up into the 2nd story. And each story feeds off the other and it’s so wonderful. I love all her books and I swear every one I think, this is my favorite.
April 3, 2025
This book has such great promise and an intriguing promise. It quickly degraded into sex scenes that basically became the lead man's (Finn) r@p3 fantasies played out and that's where I gave up. We have enough issues in real life with women being treated like crap and men thinking they can take whatever they want at any time. I don't need it in my fantasy readings as well. I am happy for the people who found joy in this book, but it was not for me, and I would not recommend this to anyone, especially people who have experienced SA.
May 3, 2025
Interesting premise that will keep you guessing, but that's it's one saving grace.
The amount of loathing I have for Finn, the MMC, is immeasurable. He is the absolute worst specimen of male imaginable, If you enjoy hating the MMC, this one is for you.
Then, Clara, the FMC, is a whiny brat who can do nothing for herself.
Jesina, the wannabe FMC, is just gross. I can't.
The amount of loathing I have for Finn, the MMC, is immeasurable. He is the absolute worst specimen of male imaginable, If you enjoy hating the MMC, this one is for you.
Then, Clara, the FMC, is a whiny brat who can do nothing for herself.
Jesina, the wannabe FMC, is just gross. I can't.
September 23, 2024
Sparktopia by JA Huss is a captivating adult romantasy that blends elements of science fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction into a thrilling narrative. With its unique premise of Spark Maidens and a mysterious tower god, the author crafts a world that is both intriguing and unsettling.
The story centers around Clara Birch, a Spark Maiden who is unexpectedly summoned to sacrifice. As she grapples with betrayal and the realization of the god's true nature, her journey intertwines with Jasina Bell, a rebellious underclass member seeking fame and power. The dynamic between Clara and Jasina, as well as their respective relationships with Finn Scott and the enigmatic figure behind the tower, adds depth and complexity to the narrative.
One of the novel's strengths lies in its exploration of morally gray characters. Clara, Jasina, Finn, and even the god himself are presented as flawed individuals with their own motivations and desires. This allows for a nuanced and thought-provoking exploration of themes such as betrayal, loyalty, and the consequences of power.
Julie's writing style is engaging and immersive, drawing readers into the world of Tau City and its intricate social hierarchy. The pacing is well-executed, with a balance of action, character development, and plot twists that keep the reader hooked. The romantic elements, while present, are seamlessly integrated into the overarching narrative, adding a layer of emotional depth to the story.
Overall, Sparktopia is a compelling and original adult romantasy that offers a fresh take on familiar tropes. With its complex characters, intriguing world-building, and thrilling plot, it is a must-read for fans of science fiction, fantasy, and romance.
The story centers around Clara Birch, a Spark Maiden who is unexpectedly summoned to sacrifice. As she grapples with betrayal and the realization of the god's true nature, her journey intertwines with Jasina Bell, a rebellious underclass member seeking fame and power. The dynamic between Clara and Jasina, as well as their respective relationships with Finn Scott and the enigmatic figure behind the tower, adds depth and complexity to the narrative.
One of the novel's strengths lies in its exploration of morally gray characters. Clara, Jasina, Finn, and even the god himself are presented as flawed individuals with their own motivations and desires. This allows for a nuanced and thought-provoking exploration of themes such as betrayal, loyalty, and the consequences of power.
Julie's writing style is engaging and immersive, drawing readers into the world of Tau City and its intricate social hierarchy. The pacing is well-executed, with a balance of action, character development, and plot twists that keep the reader hooked. The romantic elements, while present, are seamlessly integrated into the overarching narrative, adding a layer of emotional depth to the story.
Overall, Sparktopia is a compelling and original adult romantasy that offers a fresh take on familiar tropes. With its complex characters, intriguing world-building, and thrilling plot, it is a must-read for fans of science fiction, fantasy, and romance.
November 13, 2024
This was one of, if not my most, anticipated books of the year. And it did not disappoint.
I will say that I am a huge fan of romantasy. I've read so many of the popular releases, and dove into the not so well known ones as well. I love them because there really are no limits. Nothing is inconceivable. And you have that romance and eroticism that I crave as well.
When I first heard about Sparktopia, I knew I needed it in my greedy hands. Especially the full cast audiobook. And it is so good. The storyline is unique, and listening to it on Patreon was an amazing experience. JA Huss's vision came to life with full color photos that she included to enhance our reading. I can't wait to buy the paperback because it's going to be stunning. Tau City is beautiful in its cruelty and so are its people.
The characters are so unique and my heart hurt for them all at times, and I was angry with them all at times too. I'm not a "throw my kindle" kind of girl but there were times I probably could have done that at some of their decision making.
All that being said, if you love fantasy, and romance, and have a big imagination and can open yourself up to a new world, I think you would love this one as much as I did.
This audio is absolutely amazing. The full cast duet narration is jam packed with superstar narrators. They did a phenomenal job bringing this book to life.
I will say that I am a huge fan of romantasy. I've read so many of the popular releases, and dove into the not so well known ones as well. I love them because there really are no limits. Nothing is inconceivable. And you have that romance and eroticism that I crave as well.
When I first heard about Sparktopia, I knew I needed it in my greedy hands. Especially the full cast audiobook. And it is so good. The storyline is unique, and listening to it on Patreon was an amazing experience. JA Huss's vision came to life with full color photos that she included to enhance our reading. I can't wait to buy the paperback because it's going to be stunning. Tau City is beautiful in its cruelty and so are its people.
The characters are so unique and my heart hurt for them all at times, and I was angry with them all at times too. I'm not a "throw my kindle" kind of girl but there were times I probably could have done that at some of their decision making.
All that being said, if you love fantasy, and romance, and have a big imagination and can open yourself up to a new world, I think you would love this one as much as I did.
This audio is absolutely amazing. The full cast duet narration is jam packed with superstar narrators. They did a phenomenal job bringing this book to life.
October 4, 2024
Sparktopia is a dazzling fantasy that explores themes of feminisim, power dynamics, perception, and government rule all in the backdrop of the fantacy world of Tau City. This novel tells a beautiful story, weaving the lives of Clara, Jasina, Finn,and Tyse as they live under the rule of a mysterious god in a tower. JA Huss explores the idea of how much you really know the world you live in and how the perception of that world can dictate how life is lived. This is a beautifully constructed fiction that bostes vivid imagry and intrege making for a wonderful and fun reading experience.
The audiobook is a wonderful way to fully emmerse yourself in the vivid storytelling. A full cast os acclaimed voice actors including Eric Nolan, Jill Redfeild, Ava Erickson, and CJ Mission lend their own spark to the novel making it a cinematic experience.
I can't wait to see what JA Huss does this with this world in the next book.
The audiobook is a wonderful way to fully emmerse yourself in the vivid storytelling. A full cast os acclaimed voice actors including Eric Nolan, Jill Redfeild, Ava Erickson, and CJ Mission lend their own spark to the novel making it a cinematic experience.
I can't wait to see what JA Huss does this with this world in the next book.
August 5, 2024
(4.9 Stars)
Welcome to a new mystical world introducing Clara Birch, Jasina Bell, Finn Scott, & Tyse Saarinen. Once a decade in Tau City a new spark maiden is chosen. Only one is sacrificed to keep the city going but this time the evil gods wants them all. Clara is one of those Sparks and she hopes her fiancé, Finn, will save her but can he? Who is this god? What truly is the ritual? Told in four parts this embarks on a journey and rebellion against the powerful that unlocks many secrets. This was slow to start as it is introducing all the facts and tidbits of the characters and their roles in this magical city however, once you get into the mystery of what’s really true within the city it’s gets really good. So many secrets held within these walls can anyone truly be trusted? A dark semi romantasy mystery is the vibe here that ends in a cliffhanger. Told in first person and multiple POV.
Welcome to a new mystical world introducing Clara Birch, Jasina Bell, Finn Scott, & Tyse Saarinen. Once a decade in Tau City a new spark maiden is chosen. Only one is sacrificed to keep the city going but this time the evil gods wants them all. Clara is one of those Sparks and she hopes her fiancé, Finn, will save her but can he? Who is this god? What truly is the ritual? Told in four parts this embarks on a journey and rebellion against the powerful that unlocks many secrets. This was slow to start as it is introducing all the facts and tidbits of the characters and their roles in this magical city however, once you get into the mystery of what’s really true within the city it’s gets really good. So many secrets held within these walls can anyone truly be trusted? A dark semi romantasy mystery is the vibe here that ends in a cliffhanger. Told in first person and multiple POV.
July 19, 2025
I listened to the audiobook and I just have to say that some characters had really weird voices.
I was pleasantly surprised by the plot. It read unique to me. The whole concept of multiple worlds was interesting.
The start was a bit slow and it was painful to hear repeatedly how Clara would end up with Finn because omg childhood lovers etc. I mean he’s blonde… also, very much Tamlin thoughts from you, Mr. Finn: the love of your life is 99% dying tonight and all you can think about is bending her over furniture???
Mitch is just such a slimy little shit. Objectifying teenagers. Bleh.
Tyse was introduced in the second part and stole the show. He could write a book on how to treat a woman. I mean, not freaking out about her interior redesign was a five-star move.
Jesina honestly annoyed me. She seems super shallow and her motivations are questionable. Also, this whole “I don’t care he’s thinking about Clara” approach gave me the ick. BUT she takes nice notes.
I guess I didn’t really get the character development from Finn the author was describing because for me he didn’t really improve towards the end. He seems like a lost puppy who’s also childish af:
- the amount of times he mentions the kissing
- “if I can’t have her no one can”
- chaos again = he’s in sex mode again
- choosing Jesina does indeed sound like settling.
To be honest, they deserve each other and should stay in the shallows.
I wanted to give 5stars but I did read it differently than the author intended. So I guess it gets 4.
I was pleasantly surprised by the plot. It read unique to me. The whole concept of multiple worlds was interesting.
The start was a bit slow and it was painful to hear repeatedly how Clara would end up with Finn because omg childhood lovers etc. I mean he’s blonde… also, very much Tamlin thoughts from you, Mr. Finn: the love of your life is 99% dying tonight and all you can think about is bending her over furniture???
Mitch is just such a slimy little shit. Objectifying teenagers. Bleh.
Tyse was introduced in the second part and stole the show. He could write a book on how to treat a woman. I mean, not freaking out about her interior redesign was a five-star move.
Jesina honestly annoyed me. She seems super shallow and her motivations are questionable. Also, this whole “I don’t care he’s thinking about Clara” approach gave me the ick. BUT she takes nice notes.
I guess I didn’t really get the character development from Finn the author was describing because for me he didn’t really improve towards the end. He seems like a lost puppy who’s also childish af:
- the amount of times he mentions the kissing
- “if I can’t have her no one can”
- chaos again = he’s in sex mode again
- choosing Jesina does indeed sound like settling.
To be honest, they deserve each other and should stay in the shallows.
I wanted to give 5stars but I did read it differently than the author intended. So I guess it gets 4.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2024
Loved this new (to me) Huss
Sparktopia was so different from any other Huss book I've read, but it sucked me in from the very beginning and held on until the very end!! It was fascinating and fun and enchanting! The world was so descriptive, and the characters very well developed. I loved reading it!! And even though I did not know it was a series going in...I'm definitely looking forward to more books!
Sparktopia was so different from any other Huss book I've read, but it sucked me in from the very beginning and held on until the very end!! It was fascinating and fun and enchanting! The world was so descriptive, and the characters very well developed. I loved reading it!! And even though I did not know it was a series going in...I'm definitely looking forward to more books!
April 15, 2025
If you have been missing the magic of discovering a new romantasy series and immersing in a new world (hello, have you read ACOTAR?) give Sparktopia by JA Huss a try. Cool premise, decent character development, lots of spice! Book 2 publishes this June and I cannot wait.
I read the audio and it was full cast but not graphic audio. Available on Audible and Kindle Unlimited.
I read the audio and it was full cast but not graphic audio. Available on Audible and Kindle Unlimited.
September 25, 2024
Amazing!
I absolutely loved everything about this book! Its exciting, romantic, and the twists and turns are just perfect! I want more!!
I absolutely loved everything about this book! Its exciting, romantic, and the twists and turns are just perfect! I want more!!
October 27, 2025
Sparktopia
Game of gods Bk. 1
JA Huss
Narrated By: Jill Redfield, CJ Mission,
Ava Erickson, Eric Nolan, Teddy Hamilton,
Kingsley Rose, & Joel Foomkin
Sacrifice ONE for the Greater Good? Or BURN IT ALL DOWN to save her?
Spark is light, Spark is magic, Spark is power. Spark is everything and it blooms inside the bodies of Tau City's young women. Once a decade, in exchange for enough power to keep the city modern and comfortable, a Spark Maiden must be sacrificed to their mysterious tower god in a ritual called The Extraction.
There are Ten Maidens that are Chosen, but only one will enter the tower as a sacrifice, never to be seen again. The nine leftovers are elevated to celebrity status and they spend the next decade living in the luxurious Maiden Tower, wearing couture gala gowns, and partying with the city's most interesting and beautiful people. Every single young woman in Tau City wants to be a Spark Maiden because the odds have always been in their favour.
That is until now.
One by one, the greedy god has been summoning the leftover Spark Maidens into sacrifice. When Clara Birch, Spark Maiden number nine, get the call, she full expects her fiance, Finn Scott, who happens to be the Extraction Master's son, to save her.
Spoiler: Finn Scott and his father are not going to save her.
At the same time all this is happening, a rebellion is brewing. The forgotten underclass is plotting the end of the god and his tower with strategically-placed Rebel spies that will bring it all down. Jasina Bell is a lovely young woman who is on a mission to make history and she'll stop at nothing to get the fame she deserves.
Then Clara is forced into the tower, against her will, there she makes an unexpected discovery. There is no god in the tower – just a man, one who is willing to do what Finn Scott would never do: save Clara Birch.
And he's willing to do it even if it means destroying the entire world to do so.
Betrayal and sacrifice, loyalty and power plays—four people are entangled across time and space as they seek truth, freedom, and true love in this spicy and twisted adult romantasy that will have readers breathlessly turning pages until the very last word.
YOU'RE MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!!! Please read and pay close attention to the trigger warnings at the beginning of this book. There is some content and scenes in this book that are not suitable for all readers and could be triggering for others. Always remember that your mental health comes first at all times. Reader discretion is advised.
Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Anti-Hero, Ride or Die, Across Time and Space, Ultimate Betrayal, Morally Grey, Dark Romance, Magic, Fated Mates, MF Romance, Sweet. Gentle Heroine, Height Difference, Sassy Heroine, Curvy Heroine. New Adult, Urban Fantasy, and Forced Proximity.
Sparktopia is the 1st book in the Game of gods series by J.A. Huss and it was narrated by: Jill Redfield, CJ Mission, Ava Erickson, Eric Nolan, Teddy Hamilton, Kingsley Rose, & Joel Foomkin.
There's no audio adaptation available on Goodreads for Sparktopia so, as I listened to the audio book adaptation, I choose to post my review of this book here instead.
I happened to get Sparktopia for free and I really didn't know what to expect, I had just read the synopsis and thought this book looked interesting and I enjoy listening to audio books so, I downloaded it. Not knowing what I was honestly getting myself into just made this listening to made this experience all that much more enjoyable.
The cast of narrators, Jill Redfield, CJ Mission, Ava Erickson, Eric Nolan, Teddy Hamilton, Kingsley Rose, & Joel Foomkin, I hadn't listened to a lot of these narrators with other books I had listened to. But, I have to say that each and every one of the narrators brought this story to life, bringing in a full cast of narrators made this one of the most interesting audio books I have gotten to listen to. And they helped to not only bring life to the characters but also to the world, and this has now become on of my favourite fantasy settings that I have been given the chance to spend time in.
I love the way that J.A. Huss blended elements of science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction with a thrilling narrative. I love the intriguing and unique premise of Spark Maidens along with a mysterious tower god that our author then crafts a world around and it's intriguing and at times it's unsettling.
Sparktopia is a romantasy and it is a romantasy like non I have ever listened to before. It is intricate and unique, it's filled with such depth, it kept me completely enthralled from the opening to the closing of the audio. And the spice that J.A. Huss included, well our narrators made it so vivid and real and that's a complete and total understatement.
Sparktopia centres around Clara Birch, she is a Spark Maiden who is suddenly and unexpectely summoned to the tower as a sacrifice to the god who lives in the tower. She believes that her fiancee Finn Scott or his father is the Extraction Master will save her. But, she quickly realizes that they are not going to come to her rescue. Now he has to grapple with Finn and his father's betrayal.
Once she realizes that she's not going to find any rescue she knows that she has no other choice but to enter the tower and face the god that lives in that tower. When she faces the god she has to come to realization of the god's true nature.
Clara sets out on a journey that intertwines with Jasina Bells, a rebellious underclass member who is seeking nothing but fame and power. There's an interesting dynamic between Clara and Jasina, and their respective relationship with Finn Scott who just happens to be the enigmatic figure behind the tower, the one who acts as the “god in the tower” and all this add such depth and complexity to the overall narrative.
One of the great things that J.A. Huss did with Sparktopia I think is that this story explores morally grey characters like Clara, Jasina, Finn are all presented as flawed making them feel more real with their motivations, desires. I found that all of this together allowed for J.A. Huss to really explore a nuanced and somewhat thought-provoking exploration of really very important themes like betrayal, loyalty, and what the real consequences of power are.
J.A. Has this writing style that converts into an immersive listening experience that draws the listeners in and enthralls you and pulls you into the world of Tau City and it's intricate social hierarchy. I will say that the pacing is well done and consistent and well balanced between action, character development, the plot twists that draw you further in and keep you enthralled. Then the romantic element elements that J.A. Included, are just perfectly woven into the story and overall narrative that adds an amazing layer of emotional depth to this exceptionally well done story.
There is one character that I have to talk about. Tyse. Tyse is one of those characters that I completely fell in love with.
And that ending, it was tense but so very worth it. It left me holding my breath and at the same time it wrapped everything up in a way that I am thankful to say that is satisfying.
This audio book is the kind of book that I will not be forgetting about anytime in the future and I know that I will be listening to it again.
Game of gods Bk. 1
JA Huss
Narrated By: Jill Redfield, CJ Mission,
Ava Erickson, Eric Nolan, Teddy Hamilton,
Kingsley Rose, & Joel Foomkin
Sacrifice ONE for the Greater Good? Or BURN IT ALL DOWN to save her?
Spark is light, Spark is magic, Spark is power. Spark is everything and it blooms inside the bodies of Tau City's young women. Once a decade, in exchange for enough power to keep the city modern and comfortable, a Spark Maiden must be sacrificed to their mysterious tower god in a ritual called The Extraction.
There are Ten Maidens that are Chosen, but only one will enter the tower as a sacrifice, never to be seen again. The nine leftovers are elevated to celebrity status and they spend the next decade living in the luxurious Maiden Tower, wearing couture gala gowns, and partying with the city's most interesting and beautiful people. Every single young woman in Tau City wants to be a Spark Maiden because the odds have always been in their favour.
That is until now.
One by one, the greedy god has been summoning the leftover Spark Maidens into sacrifice. When Clara Birch, Spark Maiden number nine, get the call, she full expects her fiance, Finn Scott, who happens to be the Extraction Master's son, to save her.
Spoiler: Finn Scott and his father are not going to save her.
At the same time all this is happening, a rebellion is brewing. The forgotten underclass is plotting the end of the god and his tower with strategically-placed Rebel spies that will bring it all down. Jasina Bell is a lovely young woman who is on a mission to make history and she'll stop at nothing to get the fame she deserves.
Then Clara is forced into the tower, against her will, there she makes an unexpected discovery. There is no god in the tower – just a man, one who is willing to do what Finn Scott would never do: save Clara Birch.
And he's willing to do it even if it means destroying the entire world to do so.
Betrayal and sacrifice, loyalty and power plays—four people are entangled across time and space as they seek truth, freedom, and true love in this spicy and twisted adult romantasy that will have readers breathlessly turning pages until the very last word.
YOU'RE MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!!! Please read and pay close attention to the trigger warnings at the beginning of this book. There is some content and scenes in this book that are not suitable for all readers and could be triggering for others. Always remember that your mental health comes first at all times. Reader discretion is advised.
Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Anti-Hero, Ride or Die, Across Time and Space, Ultimate Betrayal, Morally Grey, Dark Romance, Magic, Fated Mates, MF Romance, Sweet. Gentle Heroine, Height Difference, Sassy Heroine, Curvy Heroine. New Adult, Urban Fantasy, and Forced Proximity.
Sparktopia is the 1st book in the Game of gods series by J.A. Huss and it was narrated by: Jill Redfield, CJ Mission, Ava Erickson, Eric Nolan, Teddy Hamilton, Kingsley Rose, & Joel Foomkin.
There's no audio adaptation available on Goodreads for Sparktopia so, as I listened to the audio book adaptation, I choose to post my review of this book here instead.
I happened to get Sparktopia for free and I really didn't know what to expect, I had just read the synopsis and thought this book looked interesting and I enjoy listening to audio books so, I downloaded it. Not knowing what I was honestly getting myself into just made this listening to made this experience all that much more enjoyable.
The cast of narrators, Jill Redfield, CJ Mission, Ava Erickson, Eric Nolan, Teddy Hamilton, Kingsley Rose, & Joel Foomkin, I hadn't listened to a lot of these narrators with other books I had listened to. But, I have to say that each and every one of the narrators brought this story to life, bringing in a full cast of narrators made this one of the most interesting audio books I have gotten to listen to. And they helped to not only bring life to the characters but also to the world, and this has now become on of my favourite fantasy settings that I have been given the chance to spend time in.
I love the way that J.A. Huss blended elements of science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction with a thrilling narrative. I love the intriguing and unique premise of Spark Maidens along with a mysterious tower god that our author then crafts a world around and it's intriguing and at times it's unsettling.
Sparktopia is a romantasy and it is a romantasy like non I have ever listened to before. It is intricate and unique, it's filled with such depth, it kept me completely enthralled from the opening to the closing of the audio. And the spice that J.A. Huss included, well our narrators made it so vivid and real and that's a complete and total understatement.
Sparktopia centres around Clara Birch, she is a Spark Maiden who is suddenly and unexpectely summoned to the tower as a sacrifice to the god who lives in the tower. She believes that her fiancee Finn Scott or his father is the Extraction Master will save her. But, she quickly realizes that they are not going to come to her rescue. Now he has to grapple with Finn and his father's betrayal.
Once she realizes that she's not going to find any rescue she knows that she has no other choice but to enter the tower and face the god that lives in that tower. When she faces the god she has to come to realization of the god's true nature.
Clara sets out on a journey that intertwines with Jasina Bells, a rebellious underclass member who is seeking nothing but fame and power. There's an interesting dynamic between Clara and Jasina, and their respective relationship with Finn Scott who just happens to be the enigmatic figure behind the tower, the one who acts as the “god in the tower” and all this add such depth and complexity to the overall narrative.
One of the great things that J.A. Huss did with Sparktopia I think is that this story explores morally grey characters like Clara, Jasina, Finn are all presented as flawed making them feel more real with their motivations, desires. I found that all of this together allowed for J.A. Huss to really explore a nuanced and somewhat thought-provoking exploration of really very important themes like betrayal, loyalty, and what the real consequences of power are.
J.A. Has this writing style that converts into an immersive listening experience that draws the listeners in and enthralls you and pulls you into the world of Tau City and it's intricate social hierarchy. I will say that the pacing is well done and consistent and well balanced between action, character development, the plot twists that draw you further in and keep you enthralled. Then the romantic element elements that J.A. Included, are just perfectly woven into the story and overall narrative that adds an amazing layer of emotional depth to this exceptionally well done story.
There is one character that I have to talk about. Tyse. Tyse is one of those characters that I completely fell in love with.
And that ending, it was tense but so very worth it. It left me holding my breath and at the same time it wrapped everything up in a way that I am thankful to say that is satisfying.
This audio book is the kind of book that I will not be forgetting about anytime in the future and I know that I will be listening to it again.
November 13, 2024
This was one of, if not my most, anticipated books of the year. And it did not disappoint.
I will say that I am a huge fan of romantasy. I've read so many of the popular releases, and dove into the not so well known ones as well. I love them because there really are no limits. Nothing is inconceivable. And you have that romance and eroticism that I crave as well.
When I first heard about Sparktopia, I knew I needed it in my greedy hands. Especially the full cast audiobook. And it is so good. The storyline is unique, and listening to it on Patreon was an amazing experience. JA Huss's vision came to life with full color photos that she included to enhance our reading. I can't wait to buy the paperback because it's going to be stunning. Tau City is beautiful in its cruelty and so are its people.
The characters are so unique and my heart hurt for them all at times, and I was angry with them all at times too. I'm not a "throw my kindle" kind of girl but there were times I probably could have done that at some of their decision making.
All that being said, if you love fantasy, and romance, and have a big imagination and can open yourself up to a new world, I think you would love this one as much as I did.
This audio is absolutely amazing. The full cast duet narration is jam packed with superstar narrators. They did a phenomenal job bringing this book to life.
I will say that I am a huge fan of romantasy. I've read so many of the popular releases, and dove into the not so well known ones as well. I love them because there really are no limits. Nothing is inconceivable. And you have that romance and eroticism that I crave as well.
When I first heard about Sparktopia, I knew I needed it in my greedy hands. Especially the full cast audiobook. And it is so good. The storyline is unique, and listening to it on Patreon was an amazing experience. JA Huss's vision came to life with full color photos that she included to enhance our reading. I can't wait to buy the paperback because it's going to be stunning. Tau City is beautiful in its cruelty and so are its people.
The characters are so unique and my heart hurt for them all at times, and I was angry with them all at times too. I'm not a "throw my kindle" kind of girl but there were times I probably could have done that at some of their decision making.
All that being said, if you love fantasy, and romance, and have a big imagination and can open yourself up to a new world, I think you would love this one as much as I did.
This audio is absolutely amazing. The full cast duet narration is jam packed with superstar narrators. They did a phenomenal job bringing this book to life.
September 14, 2024
liked the book.
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. ❤️
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. ❤️
September 1, 2024
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.
January 24, 2025
It’s going to be a DNF ughh, it had the potential to be really good… but there is an icky feeling to all the sexual content, it’s rapey ish and not sexy at all , I don’t know, just upsetting and uncomfortable how they frame interactions and it’s pretty derogatory to the women in the story, the background story is fascinating but not worth the ick feeling.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2024
I hated almost everything about this.
Clara was an absolute moron.
Finn was a total piece of shit.
Jasina was horrible.
It’s a fucking no from me.
Clara was an absolute moron.
Finn was a total piece of shit.
Jasina was horrible.
It’s a fucking no from me.
September 3, 2024
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!
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!
September 3, 2025
I was excited about the premise, but it didn't turn out as I hoped.
Since the book itself neglects to include trigger warnings, I'll add it here:
That's also the reason for the one star, otherwise it would probably have been two.
More information:
The mystery was the only thing keeping me going, but while most of the plot points of the book get mostly resolved, there are a ton of loose ends that get continued in a second book, and I simply do not care enough to read through another iteration of those scenes.
Apart from that, this book was full of sexist rethorik in a ton of ways.
For one, a whole community of people gladly sacrifices young women for electricity, and it is justified at every turn, until the main characters suddenly change their mind and it's said a bit too often how horrible that practice is - as if we as readers were ever of another opinion.
A lot of people, mainly Finn and his friends, are objectifying women at every turn.
There is one instance of women cooperating and achieving something, and we only get to see the result. Any other time, women are either deceiving each other, lying to each other or betraying each other.
One small thing that I personally found to be incredibly icky was that at one point, Clara wears the same underwear for at least a few days, maybe longer, instead of just buying new ones. WTF.
The very end of the book includes a little note from the author, which left a bad taste in my mouth. She explains that she doesn't think the book should have trigger warnings and rants about how annoying it is that people ask her to add them. She also spends quite some time defending using AI for her cover, and how much of a honed skill it is to use AI. Her obvious distaste of people that do not agree with her, even with constructive comments, seemed pretty disrespectful towards anyone who just read the book.
Since the book itself neglects to include trigger warnings, I'll add it here:
That's also the reason for the one star, otherwise it would probably have been two.
More information:
The mystery was the only thing keeping me going, but while most of the plot points of the book get mostly resolved, there are a ton of loose ends that get continued in a second book, and I simply do not care enough to read through another iteration of those scenes.
Apart from that, this book was full of sexist rethorik in a ton of ways.
For one, a whole community of people gladly sacrifices young women for electricity, and it is justified at every turn, until the main characters suddenly change their mind and it's said a bit too often how horrible that practice is - as if we as readers were ever of another opinion.
A lot of people, mainly Finn and his friends, are objectifying women at every turn.
There is one instance of women cooperating and achieving something, and we only get to see the result. Any other time, women are either deceiving each other, lying to each other or betraying each other.
One small thing that I personally found to be incredibly icky was that at one point, Clara wears the same underwear for at least a few days, maybe longer, instead of just buying new ones. WTF.
The very end of the book includes a little note from the author, which left a bad taste in my mouth. She explains that she doesn't think the book should have trigger warnings and rants about how annoying it is that people ask her to add them. She also spends quite some time defending using AI for her cover, and how much of a honed skill it is to use AI. Her obvious distaste of people that do not agree with her, even with constructive comments, seemed pretty disrespectful towards anyone who just read the book.
July 13, 2025
Sparktopia
JA Huss – Book 1 in the Game of Gods series
Tropes you’ll find:
✨ Dystopian
✨ Soul bonding
✨ Power imbalance
✨ Morally gray characters
✨ Impossible love
✨ Ride or die
✨ Portal magic
✨ Anti-hero
✨ Gods
✨ Oh—and yes, it’s spicy (but more on that later)
“Spark is light. Spark is power. Spark is deadly.”
Okay, real talk: I was about 20% in and totally lost. The world-building was dense, and the magic system? Confusing. But stick with it—it does start to make sense, and it definitely gets good.
Clara Burch lives in Tau City and is one of ten maidens chosen each decade to possibly serve the god in the tower. What does that mean exactly? No one really knows. Do they marry him? Get eaten? Become god-mommies? It’s a mystery. What we do know is that the maidens hold “Spark”—a kind of power the god needs to help the city.
Enter Finn Scott. Son of the extraction master (basically high society royalty) and Clara’s childhood bestie. He’s head over heels for her and wants that fairy-tale ending. But… things go sideways fast. Let’s just say, by the end? I was not Team Finn.
“ sacrifice one for the greater good? Or burn it all down to save her?”
But don’t worry—there’s a new hotness: Tyse. I won’t spoil anything, but yes please. Also, there’s another girl, Jasina. I didn’t vibe with her either. Just saying.
There’s a heavy dose of political intrigue here—East side vs. West side energy, fancy parties, manipulative matrons, and secrets stacked on secrets. Add in a portal (yes, we might be tiptoeing into multiverse territory), and suddenly this dystopian romantasy becomes something much bigger.
I’ve read other JA Huss books, but this is her first real dive into dystopian romantasy. While the beginning was a bit of a struggle, once you push past the info-dump, it starts clicking—and things get juicy. Lies, betrayal, impossible choices… all the things we love.
📈 Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️.5
⭐ Rating: 4.2 stars
Not a major cliffhanger, but it does set the stage perfectly for book two, The Godslayer (which is already out—go grab it!).
JA Huss – Book 1 in the Game of Gods series
Tropes you’ll find:
✨ Dystopian
✨ Soul bonding
✨ Power imbalance
✨ Morally gray characters
✨ Impossible love
✨ Ride or die
✨ Portal magic
✨ Anti-hero
✨ Gods
✨ Oh—and yes, it’s spicy (but more on that later)
“Spark is light. Spark is power. Spark is deadly.”
Okay, real talk: I was about 20% in and totally lost. The world-building was dense, and the magic system? Confusing. But stick with it—it does start to make sense, and it definitely gets good.
Clara Burch lives in Tau City and is one of ten maidens chosen each decade to possibly serve the god in the tower. What does that mean exactly? No one really knows. Do they marry him? Get eaten? Become god-mommies? It’s a mystery. What we do know is that the maidens hold “Spark”—a kind of power the god needs to help the city.
Enter Finn Scott. Son of the extraction master (basically high society royalty) and Clara’s childhood bestie. He’s head over heels for her and wants that fairy-tale ending. But… things go sideways fast. Let’s just say, by the end? I was not Team Finn.
“ sacrifice one for the greater good? Or burn it all down to save her?”
But don’t worry—there’s a new hotness: Tyse. I won’t spoil anything, but yes please. Also, there’s another girl, Jasina. I didn’t vibe with her either. Just saying.
There’s a heavy dose of political intrigue here—East side vs. West side energy, fancy parties, manipulative matrons, and secrets stacked on secrets. Add in a portal (yes, we might be tiptoeing into multiverse territory), and suddenly this dystopian romantasy becomes something much bigger.
I’ve read other JA Huss books, but this is her first real dive into dystopian romantasy. While the beginning was a bit of a struggle, once you push past the info-dump, it starts clicking—and things get juicy. Lies, betrayal, impossible choices… all the things we love.
📈 Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️.5
⭐ Rating: 4.2 stars
Not a major cliffhanger, but it does set the stage perfectly for book two, The Godslayer (which is already out—go grab it!).
August 10, 2024
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.)
I like Clara. Despite her role in her world to be basically an up-city Birch (inside book joke), she had a fire that she was not afraid to use. I enjoyed watching that bit of her personality grow. And her ability to be rational and forgive.
Tyse, my man. I feel like I should say no more... but I will. While he's capable of being a hero, he knows when to stand back and just let Clara do what he knows she can do. And that's why her character was able to develop. Him, too.
The other two I mention below.
Aneeta, in my little headcanon, reminded me of Ed (though calmer) from Cowboy BeBop for some reason. I don't know why. She's adorable as f**k.
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.
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.)
I like Clara. Despite her role in her world to be basically an up-city Birch (inside book joke), she had a fire that she was not afraid to use. I enjoyed watching that bit of her personality grow. And her ability to be rational and forgive.
Tyse, my man. I feel like I should say no more... but I will. While he's capable of being a hero, he knows when to stand back and just let Clara do what he knows she can do. And that's why her character was able to develop. Him, too.
The other two I mention below.
Aneeta, in my little headcanon, reminded me of Ed (though calmer) from Cowboy BeBop for some reason. I don't know why. She's adorable as f**k.
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.
March 31, 2025
This isn’t a romance—it’s a relationship autopsy, and I loved every second.
Let’s start with the obvious—the audiobook narration? 10/10. No notes. The performers brought this book to life in a way that made every argument, heartbreak, and spicy moment hit just right. If you’re going to read this book, I highly recommend the audio version because they carried this story on their backs.
Now, the actual story? I wasn’t ready for how much I’d appreciate the messy, crunchy layers of these characters. It’s not your standard dark romance; it’s complicated, frustrating, and painfully real in the way it handles love, disappointment, and human failure.
The dual perspectives worked so well here. Watching both sides unravel, love, betray, and attempt to rebuild themselves made the tension all the more sharp.
One of the MMCs—let’s be honest—was a slimy piece of shit for most of the book. The kind of man you want to throat punch and ask, “How are you still breathing after that?” He does technically redeem himself by the end, but it’s one of those redemptions where you still kinda want to kick him in the shins.
The FMC though? I loved her journey. She starts off tangled in love and disappointment, feeling betrayed in real-time, and by the end, she comes into her own. It felt like such a realistic portrayal of what it’s like to fall out of love with the fantasy of a person and face the ugly truth of who they are.
And then there’s the other MMC—the grumpy, cranky, emotionally constipated but empathetic king. He’s the type of man who quietly protects, stays loyal even when it hurts, and doesn’t need to shout about it. He was easily my favorite part of the entire story.
Sparktopia isn’t about fairytales or fantasy-level romance. It’s messy, human, and full of flaws—and that’s exactly why it worked for me. It’s about love that disappoints you, and the people who still show up for you after the fallout.
Let’s start with the obvious—the audiobook narration? 10/10. No notes. The performers brought this book to life in a way that made every argument, heartbreak, and spicy moment hit just right. If you’re going to read this book, I highly recommend the audio version because they carried this story on their backs.
Now, the actual story? I wasn’t ready for how much I’d appreciate the messy, crunchy layers of these characters. It’s not your standard dark romance; it’s complicated, frustrating, and painfully real in the way it handles love, disappointment, and human failure.
The dual perspectives worked so well here. Watching both sides unravel, love, betray, and attempt to rebuild themselves made the tension all the more sharp.
One of the MMCs—let’s be honest—was a slimy piece of shit for most of the book. The kind of man you want to throat punch and ask, “How are you still breathing after that?” He does technically redeem himself by the end, but it’s one of those redemptions where you still kinda want to kick him in the shins.
The FMC though? I loved her journey. She starts off tangled in love and disappointment, feeling betrayed in real-time, and by the end, she comes into her own. It felt like such a realistic portrayal of what it’s like to fall out of love with the fantasy of a person and face the ugly truth of who they are.
And then there’s the other MMC—the grumpy, cranky, emotionally constipated but empathetic king. He’s the type of man who quietly protects, stays loyal even when it hurts, and doesn’t need to shout about it. He was easily my favorite part of the entire story.
Sparktopia isn’t about fairytales or fantasy-level romance. It’s messy, human, and full of flaws—and that’s exactly why it worked for me. It’s about love that disappoints you, and the people who still show up for you after the fallout.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2024
enjoyable but annoying at times
It took me a little time to figure out how I felt about this book. I’m wavering between 3-4 stars. I enjoyed the concept and the plot development and the world building, I kind of see why all four characters storyline’s had to cross over but I almost wish Finn and Jasina’s was separated out - I couldn’t stand either of their characters, Jasina was a mostly a brat and Finn was an immature pig and I skimmed a lot of their chapters from about half way through the book as their interactions together were a bit cringey in my opinion. I mean what type of man is he when he is a 28 year old guy noticing how ‘hot’ an 18 year old is while he still has a girlfriend around that is supposedly the love of his love, then as soon as said gf ‘disappears’, it was like out of sight and he just moved on straight away. If they were a seperate book, I probably would have DNF’d or not even started as they bugged me that much. Maybe they were meant to and that’s the sign of some good writing direction, and there will be some major growth in them in the sequel but I don’t know. On the other hand, although Clara started off abit annoyingly naive, but I really enjoyed her story unraveling and meeting Tyse and their side of the storyline from there. I really liked Tyse’s character from his first introduction. So grumpy lol. He moved the rating from a 3 to 4. I’m a bit of a mood reader so I’ll have to decide at the time of the sequel if I’ll continue.
It took me a little time to figure out how I felt about this book. I’m wavering between 3-4 stars. I enjoyed the concept and the plot development and the world building, I kind of see why all four characters storyline’s had to cross over but I almost wish Finn and Jasina’s was separated out - I couldn’t stand either of their characters, Jasina was a mostly a brat and Finn was an immature pig and I skimmed a lot of their chapters from about half way through the book as their interactions together were a bit cringey in my opinion. I mean what type of man is he when he is a 28 year old guy noticing how ‘hot’ an 18 year old is while he still has a girlfriend around that is supposedly the love of his love, then as soon as said gf ‘disappears’, it was like out of sight and he just moved on straight away. If they were a seperate book, I probably would have DNF’d or not even started as they bugged me that much. Maybe they were meant to and that’s the sign of some good writing direction, and there will be some major growth in them in the sequel but I don’t know. On the other hand, although Clara started off abit annoyingly naive, but I really enjoyed her story unraveling and meeting Tyse and their side of the storyline from there. I really liked Tyse’s character from his first introduction. So grumpy lol. He moved the rating from a 3 to 4. I’m a bit of a mood reader so I’ll have to decide at the time of the sequel if I’ll continue.
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