The Vanishing Spark of Dusk

by Sara Baysinger

Stand up.

When Lark is stolen from Earth to be a slave on the planet Tavdora, she’s determined to find her way back home to her family, no matter the cost. Placed in the household of a notorious slave trader, Lark quickly learns her best assets are her eyes and ears. And if she’s brave enough, her voice.

Be heard.

Kalen is the Tavdorian son of a slave trader and in line to inherit his father’s business. But his growing feelings for Lark, the new house slave who dares to speak of freedom, compel him to reveal his new plan for the slave ships returning to Earth—escape. Together, they just might spark a change that flares across the universe.

Fight back.

Genres: Science Fiction, Romance, Aliens, Young Adult, Space, Science Fiction Romance

Paperback

First published January 8, 2018

About the author

Sara was born in the heart of the Andes Mountains in Ecuador where she spent her early life exploring uncharted lands and raising chickens. She now makes her home among the endless cornfields of Indiana with her husband and two children…and she still raises chickens. Her dystopian novel BLACK TIGER was self-published in 2016. When not getting lost in a book, Sara can be found gardening, devouring chocolate, and running off the sugar-high from said chocolate. You can visit her online at www.sarabaysinger.com.

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Vanishing Spark of Dusk by Sara Baysinger is a young adult science fiction fantasy romance read. And before I even begin to share my thoughts on this book I’d like to say that while this one looks to be a standalone novel I’d highly encourage the author to continue with this world and characters she created and turn this one into a series. This for me was one of those books that had a perfectly acceptable ending but I so did not want it to end, I wanted the story to go on and could see so much more to explore with the world and characters she created.

Starting off reading this one I found myself comparing it to a couple of things and wondered if I would find a story that felt like more of the same old and not something new but thankfully that feeling went away rather quickly. When first meeting Lark we find that she and her family reside in a hidden community still free from slavery. As she mentions shucking corn I got this picture in my head of the farm in the Walking Dead where Hershel’s family was living in their own little bubble free from the chaos of the world around them. Now Lark’s fear and chaos of her world of course isn’t the zombie apocalypse but an alien race, the Tavdorians, that have been capturing and enslaving humans for years.

There are also things in this story that remind me a bit of The Hunger Games series. Now of course that series is simply human greed and excess and nothing to do with aliens but there were just little twinges here and there that brought it to mind. But don’t worry at all in thinking that this one is exactly like any thing else because it certainly did create it’s own world and characters that I fell in love with along the way. Lark is much like Katniss though in her determination and strength to survive to one day see her family again and that spark that is needed to fuel the change that the world created within the pages of the story needed.

As for the romance side of the book I’d also say not to worry to those that wonder if we have a case of insta-love that is so often found, no thankfully it does not begin that way. The story takes place over the course of several months and things were built into the book slowly over the course of the entire story. In the beginning when Lark and Kalen meet she knows little of the Tavdorians having never actually seen or met one so she sees them all as vicious slave trading parasites.The misconceptions and generalizations from each species remind me a lot of the stereotyping we have in our world just among humans so the issues seemed realistic but expanded to other worlds.

Now while it’s probably obvious by now that I really enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend reading it I would also warn that while this is young adult the content should probably be for more mature readers. There’s nothing overly graphic but it’s a book based around slavery and that isn’t a pretty thing in itself but also had some sexual situations brought into the mix along with partying and drinking so I’d keep that in mind. Otherwise a definite five stars and two thumbs up from this reader from the beautiful cover to the very end of the story.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....

[Anastasia ｼ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Review on my blog!

*a copy was provided by NetGalley*

Wow! I came expecting one thing and got another! 

The plot in The Vanishing Spark is full of action and romance. There's so much at play here - rebel groups, evil men, space journeys, and a divided family. I couldn't flip the pages fast enough! I just wanted to know everything! The romance was steamy. Lark and Kalen had such a great dynamic - I loved how they constantly would push at each other's buttons. Plus their ending was sooooo freaking adorable.

I think I've found a new favourite author and I can't wait to read more from her! I highly recommend reading this one! The Vanishing Spark of Dusk by Sara Baysinger comes out today, I can't wait to buy my own copy! :D

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[Jen (jenslostinthepages) ♥Star-Crossed Book Blog♥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

***2.5/5 Stars***

The beginning of The Vanishing Spark of Dust was magnificent. It contained a heroine who I knew would come out of her shell, an alien who was forbidden but oh so addicting and a world that was beyond fascinating yet terrifying at the same time. I was completely glued to the pages and thought that I had found my next favorite book. But at 10% into the book, everything changed for me. There were two triggers that adversely affected me. And they made me take a huge step back emotionally, and unfortunately I wasn't able to connect to the characters again. I tried again and again to feel what I did for Lark, our heroine, and Kalen, our alien, yet it never happened.

My eyes start to burn. My chest heaves. And I break. Shatter. Fall to my knees. And I don’t know if these are teardrops or water dripping down my face, but I don’t care because I’m broken. So broken.

So two of my triggers are cruelty or death to animals and children. And this sadly had both of those. In the first instance, we don't get to know what happens to the dog that follows Lark around. Something happened during Lark's kidnapping, and I was left reeling. There's no closure or answers to what happened to her little dog. I thought that possibly down the road we would find out, but by that last page we are still just as clueless. And while that really bothered me, the next thing that happened upset me even more. In the second instance, a child gets killed point blank. And it's not just some random child, but one that I became attached to. It was extremely hard to read, and it was difficult each time Lark rehashed or thought about what happened. I truly wish those scenes didn't affect me so strongly, or that I didnt have these triggers, but unfortunately it is what it is.

Kalen said never to mention freedom again, but that doesn’t mean I can’t fight for it. And I will. I’ll fight for it—I’ll risk my life for it. Because a life as a slave isn’t life at all.

So after those two events, which were pretty close to one another, I struggled big time. I couldn't find my way back to connecting to Lark or Kalen who has serious book boyfriend potential. Sigh. I read till the very end because I thought that something would grab me and pull me back in. But all I could feel was indifference. So while this book didn't work out for me, some of my book friends may truly enjoy this story. And just know that while the book ended at a great stopping place, the door was definitely left open for a future book. So here's hoping that if you give this book a shot, you'll end up enjoying this story much more than I did.

*ARC kindly provided by Entangled Teen via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[Annika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay. First, a disclosure:
I started this book in February when I was in some kind of reading funk, then put it on hold, only picking it back up now more than four months later. I enjoyed the last 30% of it a lot more than I did the rest, but there's no way of telling whether that's because of my mood or because it actually got better later on. Or maybe because I'm just not that much into Sci-Fi stuff and aliens and spaceships in general.
Just so you guys know, my review/rating might not be entirely fair. Up to you now what to make of that piece of information.

In hindsight and judging from the last third of the book, this was actually an enjoyable and well thought-out story. The writing was great, the cast of characters was well-developed - including a pretty amazing, loyal hero, a strong and passionate heroine and an array of likeable (and hateable) side characters. And, hidden beneath a slow-burn, star-crossed-lovers kind of romance and a little action here and there were a few quite valuable messages that I appreciated.

So all in all, there really wasn't anything wrong with this book.
However, I never managed to fully connect with the characters, thus not feeling their emotions and passions the way I should have and would have liked to. I felt strangely detached for most of the book, considering what an emotional read this was obviously intended to be.
But, this might as well just be a case of "It's not you, it's me", especially seeing how many positive reviews this book has gotten so far.

ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Danielle's · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lark lives on planet earth. Her family comply with another planets rules in the hope they will leave them alone, but when two slaves escape everything changes. The aliens are cruel. Lark's haven knows they shouldn't take in some of the slaves, but it's hard not to help the needy. Lark is betrayed by a close friend. She finds herself on her way to a foreign planet with no hope of returning.

Kalen is a son of a slave trader. He is a sympathiser but wants his father to be proud of him. Lark is about to shake up his world and he can't help but save her.

Their kind don't mix. They are not equal and the certainty shouldn't fall in love.

I don't think I've read an alien romance before. The vanishing spark of dusk was really interesting from beginning to end. It had some great concepts to get you thinking and the story was really imaginative.

4.5 stars out of 5. *ARC

[Nina ✿ Looseleaf Reviews ✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

This is the fourth book I've received for review from Sara and let me tell you, it's always a pleasure to pick up her work!

The Vanishing Spark of Dusk did a 180 from her other series, a dystopian, and dove into hard core Sci-Fi. The main character, Lark, is a human stolen from Earth by a race of aliens who have systematically enslaved humanity. Lark's home in what was Indiana is one of the last known strongholds of "free" humans on Earth. Headstrong, desperate for freedom, and determined to see her terminally ill mother again, Lark does whatever it takes to escape her captors - even if her life of "enslavement" doesn't seem all that terrible.

Jumping in from that synopsis, I do think it's important to note that this story walks a very fine line of apologism. Is a person from a culture built upon slavery ever forgivable, even if they themselves fight for abolition? If they are improving the lives of individual slaves, fighting to change the system, or even literally freeing people, can they ever be truly absolved while they are still benefitting from the system they oppose? That's a real deep moral can of worms, and I'm not entirely sure I share the opinions this book presents, but I'm proceeding with this review without getting deeper into that analysis.

I love the characters. Lark is an engaging protagonist because she's brave, outspoken, etc., all the things you'd expect from a strong female protagonist. But more than these traits, the most important thing about her is her compassion and hope. It is these strengths of character that get her from point a to b in the story, and they're such essential human qualities that it's really easy to relate to her as a reader.

Kalen's a little harder to talk about without getting into my disclaimer above, but he's well-writen, for sure. The fine line he treads between his role as the son of a merchant empire and his own moral standards makes for interesting plot and character development. The cool thing about him is that I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop somehow, but instead of him doing something awful, or him falling into a trope I was dreading, he would surprise me with true actual dedication to being a good person. By the end of the book, I was much more understanding of Lark's feelings towards him than I thought I would be.

Honestly, the coolest part of this book is its handling of sexuality. When you start venturing into other worlds with alien cultures, I always roll my eyes at how many human prejudices are built into completely foreign cultures. Kalen's culture is largely polyamorous, but it's not disgustingly sexualized. Like, I didn't feel like I was reading some weird pseudo-erotica, as much as sex was mentioned. Also! Consent. Was. Important. A+++ to you, Sara, for creating such a great world with that built in. There was also queer rep in some supporting characters, so extra kudos.

The plot itself unfolded much in the way I expected, and honestly, sometimes things came too easily to Lark. I would have personally enjoyed feeling more danger for her situation (she gains favor and privileges in her new situation real fast, with very minimal resistance, or even fear on her end). But the reason this was so binge-worthy was the characters. For such a dark topic, it was amazing how so many characters would surprise you with their humanity. What a refreshing twist for this genre!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a lot of books published by EntangledTeen over the course of 2017. Some I liked. Some I loved. As it turns out, however, I saved the greatest for last - The Vanishing Spark of Dusk by Sara Baysinger. Honestly, I think this may just be EntangledTeen's best book yet.

I'll be honest here: it took me a while to warm up to Lark.

In the beginning she's timid and spineless. She refuses to speak up for herself, and, instead, she consistently mulls over her failings, wishing she could be brave but never acting on it. There's one pivotal moment in the first few chapters where she overhears some of the other girls talking trash about her, and I was so angry for her - the girls were incredibly out of line - but Lark does nothing. She just sits on the sidelines, convincing herself that they couldn't possibly be talking about her. I was disappointed in her - I wanted nothing more for her to stand up for herself and speak loud and proud - but it gave me hope that she'd learn to be brave.

Over the course of the book, Lark grows and prospers. She learns how to speak up for herself and others. She stands up for what she believes in no mater the consequences. She makes great friends and even starts up a romance. Most importantly, she becomes a vital part of her new community, finding a purpose and a home in a seemingly hopeless place. It was a rough journey - sometimes she would go too far with her actions or not think them through enough - but it was such an incredibly worthwhile one to witness. By the end, I was proud of her - I may of even shed a tear. She had come so far.

On the other hand, I loved Kalen, Lark's love interest, from the start. Ladies and gentlemen, Kalen is prime book boyfriend material. My heart was swooning - full-out swooning! He's the perfect mix of sweet and spicy, and I loved how he always stuck up for Lark. When Kalen's first introduced, it's hard to tell if he's a good guy or a bad guy; however, soon it becomes clear as day: Kalen has a heart of gold. Like Lark, he also deals with his own challenges. He's torn between embracing the path his father has chosen for the company (slave-traders) or fighting against it, and I felt that the development regarding this was good. I felt for Kalen - it's hard to disappoint family but at the same time it's important to stand up for what you believe in, especially when it involves something as wrong as slave trading.

The world building in The Vanishing Spark of Dusk was also fantastic. I thought Sara did such a wonderful job of creating the world of the Tavdorian. It was so easy to picture their planet, and better yet, I loved the level of detail and spice she gave to it - it wasn't the standard fantasy space world by any means. I do wish she would have given some more details into how the Tavdorians overtook Earth. I was curious as to when it all began, how did the government fall, etc.

Additionally, the plot in The Vanishing Spark is full of action and romance. There's so much at play here - rebel groups, evil men, space journeys, and a divided family. I couldn't flip the pages fast enough! I just wanted to know everything! The romance was steamy. Lark and Kalen had such a great dynamic - I loved how they constantly would push at each other's buttons. Plus their ending was so adorable.

There was one aspect, however, that brought this book down one star: it was slightly slow at times. I'm all for slow parts when they bring about essential character, world, and/or plot development, but that didn't always happen here, especially in the beginning. Thankfully, as the book continued the pacing got better.

Lush, intricate, and thrilling, The Vanishing Spark of Dusk reminds me just how wonderful YA fantasy can be, how exciting it is to be transported to a world so unlike our own.

So mark your calendars for January 8th! This is one you won't want to miss, especially if you love a mixture of fantasy and dystopian.

[Kirsty (Amethyst Bookwyrm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for giving me this book to review.

The Vanishing Spark of Dusk is an enjoyable sci-fi story with some dystopian elements as well as romance and rebellion. However, it is predictable and slow to start but it does really pick up at about a third of the way through. It has a good message about not judging an entire group of people based on a few individuals.

Lark is a good character who gains a lot of confident as the book goes on, as she starts as a quiet bookish person who lets people walk over her, to someone who is willing to sacrifice, stand up, and fight for what is right. I didn’t get on with Kalen at the start as he came across as a massive party boy who doesn’t take things seriously, and is part of the slave world, but as we got to know him better we see he has real depth as he has mixed feelings, and caring as he will do anything for those he loves.

I really liked this book and while it is a standalone book, I hope there will be more in this book universe. I would recommend The Vanishing Spark of Dusk to those who enjoy sci-fi romance books.

This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm

[Bianca ღ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful book! Soo happy I got to read this! It was so perfect and the ending was adorable!

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Oh, this book! I came expecting one thing and got quite another! Some of it might have left me slightly uncomfortable (Lark has quite the potty mouth), but others were just overwhelming in how beautiful they were.

So many different topics were hit in this story that are so relevant to the issue of race, gender, and self-sacrifice. Lark and Kalen's story was one of the most powerful things that hit home. Though some parts were quite steamy, their relationship is simply beautiful. I won't go into detail of exactly how (because major spoilers), but the author did an fantastic job of showing how incredible real love is.

One thing that really stood out to me was the realism. Lark is taken to another planet, but some of the things that she says or happens really blew me away. It made her very much a character I could sympathize with. Not only that, the world of Tavdora was very engaging and felt like I was really there.

Overall, this book was very good, despite if I didn't feel comfortable with everything. I would recommend to mature teens for certain content, but this message is for anyone. It's a gut-puncher as well as blooming romance that speaks to the heart.

*(I received an ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts expressed are my own.)*

[Laurie Lucking · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't read a lot of science fiction, but I really enjoyed this book! The author's prose incorporated so much beauty and emotion, and I found the world-building really intriguing. Lark was generally a likable character, though she seemed contradictory at times and her relatively easy life as a slave removed some of the tension from her situation. Kalen was a fascinating love interest - it took me quite a while to warm up to him, but eventually he won me over :) Their relationship was too heavy on the sexual tension for my taste, but in other respects I enjoyed the way their interactions developed. What I loved most about this book was the ending! Without giving away spoilers, I'll just say that Baysinger is very effective with plot twists, redeeming characters in surprising ways, and bringing all the chaos to a satisfying conclusion. It definitely got me thinking about things like trust and sacrificial love and helped me appreciate the many comforts in my life!

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.*

[Marie -The Reading Otter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review:
2.7 very conflicted stars
http://pagestoexplore.blogspot.com/20...

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a lot of expectations starting this book. In many ways it delivered but in some it didn't.

The plot was well thought but a bit predictable sometimes. The writing was really good and kept me interested until the end. I had to know what would happen to Lark, Kalen and their friends.

I enjoyed the slow building of the relationship between Lark and Kalen even if the attraction was here from their first encounter. Lark was strong and smart. She never gave up hope of finding her freedom. I liked seeing her come slowly out of her shell, always holding on for what was important to her.

Kalen was the typical heir who wants something else for himself. But who could blame him in this case. He was true to his word, honest and loyal, which made him quite endearing. He wasn't hiding his vulnerabilities nor his feelings.

I felt, with that ending, that it was the beginning of a series but I might be wrong.

[Alyssa]

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

1.21.19 update: I just started The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon and the 'getting captured by an alien race' theme is oddly parallel. 🤔

Review copy from Netgalley

This story had a slow start and the characters on Earth saying 'parasite' way too many times, but once she was on the alien planet, it picked up. This was equal parts rebellion, romance, and sci-fi story and they all worked.

[Fanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this! It was so much more than I'd expected. I mean, from the looks of it I thought it would be a romance with the flowery prose (come on, don't you get the same feel from the title?) but it turned out to be more than that.

The Vanishing Spark Of Dusk is the perfect mixture of science fiction, aliens without humanity, some with humanity, strong humans with empathy, and a well-developed romance.

The story revolves around Lark, a native on Earth, who hasn't been captured by the alien-controlled mercenaries and traded to slavery, yet. That does happen, though, and she is transported to Tavdora, a planet where humans are brought, sold, and used as slaves. Things become worse from bad for Lark but maybe Kalen, the inheritor of the slave-trading company, is the good in this all. The plot, as such, is quite interesting with the inhumane tendencies of the aliens being used to its best by pouring in slavery and loads of torture. It struck my heart's chords with the main focus of the story being freedom, escape, and the need to go back home.

There's some great character development in this book which would be my first reason to recommend this. Lark, who preferred to stay hidden, out-of-sight and not being payed attention to, speaks up to be heard, given the circumstances. When the story starts out, I felt a little annoyed at her for not being a vocal person (maybe because I'm one) but the way she develops and essentially evolves into this strong woman who speaks out her opinion clearly, stands up for her people and even risks everything to get the right thing done, all the while keeping her compassion the only driving force, I grew fond of her. If Lark wasn't enough to win my heart, Kaylen was more than enough. His personality was well-thought out by the conflicts he faces, the inner turmoil he often went through, and despite of being the next in line to a royal life, he holds strong on his views regarding slavery—how passionately he opposes it. While I'm at it, I'll even appreciate how emotional he was, not holding off his tears at times when he felt devastated. Also, how he understood Lark so well and the respect he gave to not only Lark, but to all the women he knew, slaves or not. It's always nice to stumble upon characters who make me happy and sad at the same time, and I'm glad this book gave me those.

In fact, not just the main characters, but even the supporting ones were interesting in their own way and developed as well. None of them had characteristics constricted by stereotypes; there were those who belonged to the wrong side simply because they had no choice, while a few had their own stories that forced them to choose this path. I'll not be naming names because a spoiler-free review is what I'm intending to write, but there are a few twists here and there that make you raise your eyebrows at the bad guys one in a while because you hadn't expected something they just did—in a good way.

The writing is one of the strong features of this book. There's detailed prose to give the clear picture of what's occurring and more often than not, they are studded with some beautiful words. The world-building is a great result from this picturesque writing; there are violet eyes, hoverboards, spaceships, and even bioluminescent plants to create the world this story is set in. Dialogues are spoken by the right people at the right place and in the right setting.

The romance that slowly strengthens between Kayle and Lark is worth 300 pages and never seemed too dragging. Though there's an attraction, it doesn't take the front seat in the romantic representation. They respect each other, trust one another, and eventually fall for the other. It's gradual and each interaction between them—cute, angry or sexy—is like a stepping stone to their flourished feelings.

Moving on, there's just enough science-fiction in this novel that lets me count it as one. Though, there aren't all that many technological gadgets or scientific theories, I did like it for the space pirates, an interplanetary rebellion, and aliens who look almost human—expect for violet eyes and a tall height. Moreover, the fact that the story line touches the most gifted and probably the best trait of a human, humanity, as the deciding factor in what's right or wrong, strikes a chord and is a pleasure to see become the undercover hero of this story.

Overall, I loved this and would recommend it to all those who are looking for a science-fiction that doesn't confine humanity to just humans and a romance that develops alongside the story.

Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this book via Netgalley but that in no way influences my rating and/or opinions about this. Thank you Entangled Publishing and Sara Baysinger!

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[Lenore Kosinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://celebrityreaders.com/2018/01/0...

I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

4 stars — Wow. Again, why don’t I read more science fiction?? I would have missed out on this gem if I wasn’t determined to stretch myself this year!

OK, before I get going on my review, I just wanted to note that I would call this book mature YA rather than just normal YA. While I have no problems with all sorts of content, I do notice that people get up in arms about this issue, so I figured I would note it. The book does not go into any explicit detail about the actual act, but it’s not completely fade to black. I could see how some might think it skirts the line without crossing, kwim? Consider yourself warned, and hopefully you will still choose to decide for yourself because I highly recommend it! Obligation fulfilled.

I absolutely loved the universe that Ms. Baysinger created…it was heartbreaking and gutwrenching yes, but it was also so beautifully detailed that I felt like I could really imagine Tavdoria and the experiences of both Humans and aliens alike. And the journey that Lark goes on is one with a remarkable amount of growth. But it was still believable growth, even as she changed dramatically from who she was on Earth to who she became on Tavdoria…mostly believable because her circumstances completely changed, and so I feel like she adapted in a realistic way. I was a bit skeptical at first, b/c she was so timid and almost a doormat on Earth, and it seemed like she did a complete about face. But having her freedom taken away, and experiencing the other traumas she did (betrayal, Rika), I can see how it would have a profound effect on her.

I really did empathize with Lark, and I could see a lot myself in her. I LOVED how her empathy was one of her greatest strengths. And it came into play so often! I could vibe with most of what she felt in this story, I could see myself reacting similarly. Though sometimes her boldness made me cringe, b/c I am probably more like the Lark of Earth in that I don’t like attention.

Kalen was a really intriguing hero…I felt so bad for him a lot of the time. He struggled so much with what he felt inside, what his mother taught him, and what he believed was true about Tavdorian society. I thought it was interesting to have our hero be kind of questionable, almost an anti-hero; to be in such a position of power but be so indoctrinated and easily influenced by his family, that even as he felt slavery was wrong, he still believed that nothing he could do would make a difference. I really did love him though, even though he was such a flawed hero. I truly did believe him right from the start about his feelings for Lark, I could feel how genuine he was. As a result I felt for him as he was constantly second guessed and doubted. Honestly, the longer Lark didn’t trust him, the more I wondered if I was wrong all along. And truthfully, I felt like that was drawn out a bit long for me. It’s funny that in the end he wasn’t 100% with the cause, but more just wanted Lark and whatever was safe for her. It was an interesting character arc for him.

I enjoyed their romance too…it added just that little bit extra to the story, and I had lots of instances of tummy butterflies. It was sweet, and poignant, and it made me want to smack them sometimes. 😛 So all good things.

Interesting secondary characters in this one as well, quite an extensive cast in fact. Some that I LOVED, some that I decidedly did NOT. Number one on the love list was definitely the Renegade Tavdorians, they were awesome. I’m going to be a bit vague here, b/c I don’t want to spoil any twists. Obviously loved Neptune as well, though it wasn’t until just slightly before his reveal that I figured things out…good twist there. Speaking of twists, I didn’t see the Starfinder co-pilot coming! I mean, a part of me wondered if there was more to him, but in the end I bought his act along with Lark. Obviously liked both Vermilia and Bram, and didn’t really like Bralia. I will admit I was a bit sad that none of the slaves in the Rydell household really saw Kalen for who he could be, saw his potential in the same way as Lark…they all warned her off him. But then again, they all grew up as slaves. I was NOT a fan of Tariq in the end…for obvious reasons. I did appreciate that some of the bad guys were given a bit of depth…not excuses for their behavior, but at least an understanding of where their behavior came from.

Honestly, the only real problem I had with the story was that it felt a bit drawn out…like it could have been tightened up in a few places. I spend so much time second guessing things and waiting for shoes to drop, that it almost took me out of the story. Perhaps that’s just though.

Now the only question I have left: WILL THERE BE A SEQUEL??? WAS THIS A STANDALONE???? I NEED TO KNOW! I was satisfied with the ending, but I could also see more being added to the story, so I’m curious…mildly…greatly…one of those.

[Katherine Paschal · Rating 3 out of 5]

**3.5 Stars**
Review featured on https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/

Lark is one of the last free humans left on earth, living in a small community that has not been touched by the alien slave traders. Her life seems simple but she is content with her duty and madly in love. When runaway slaves from the nearby alien plantation seek safety with her people, it causes a divide between those who want to help and those who want to turn them in to protect themselves. But little does Lark know, she is now a bargaining chip, turned over by the one she cared for the most. She was never meant to be a slave, but now she can't escape it.

A dystopian Alien romance, you say? Why yes, yes it is! I am a sucker for dystopian stories all on their own, but then aliens were added to the mix and romance, it was inevitable that I was going to read this book. And look, look at the pretty, eye catching cover! I have a total case of cover love going on. The story is listed as teen but I would not call it teen at all, more a New Adult sci-fi, with the content that goes along with it.

The book was split into 4 parts, showing the phases that Lark goes through from a free native to a slave and then her struggles to be free. I will admit that the start of this book I found to be kind of depressing- yes, I know dystopians are not usually uplifting, but they can be exciting and adventurous, but reading this was hard. Within the first few chapters Lark has 2 ultimate betrayals at the hand of the boy she loves and is intimate with- she claims she would sacrifice her life for him, and well, that ended up being true and totally against her will. It was super painful- and then she blamed herself for a young girls death when it was 100% not her fault- the fault lies with the douche who betrayed her, yet she never sees it. To put it mildly, I was a little concerned with what I had gotten myself involved with here. After the first part, the story did become more interesting and more engaging for me. It seemed like the story became more a forbidden love story the cover hinted at than the sad gritty survival it started out as.

Overall this was a very different read than I anticipated but it had it's own unique charm and ended up being incredibly romantic and swoon-worthy. I feel like the story wrapped up nicely without loose ends making this the perfect stand-alone read for those hoping to avoid starting a series (even though there was potential for growth if Sara wanted to expand her worlds!).

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Vanishing Spark of Dusk" is a fantastic sci-fi/fantasy/romance that is suitable for older teens in the YA category or NA readers (due to content, in my opinion). We follow Lark, who is a "native" human- one of the few humans left free on Earth. Most humans have been enslaved by the Tavdorians, either to work on plantations on Earth or as slaves on the other planets they have conquered and enslaved. Although native slaves are worth twice as much as other slaves, Lark's community has a deal with the Tavdorian plantation owner next to them- they keep to themselves and he leaves them be. Everything is about to change when two runaways escape into Lark's community and they give them asylum.

Lark lives with her mother and the rest of the community in relative harmony- and blissful ignorance. Her brother left a few years before to join an army in Colorado to fight slavery- because what is being free if others are enslaved? Lark didn't really understand. She is happy with her boyfriend Josiah- until she learns that he hasn't been truthful with her during their relationship and betrays her, leading to the death of her friend. Sold into slavery, she is protected by a Tavdorian she met briefly while free- Kalen. Lark fights to secure her freedom and avenge her friend's death, but she soon learns it is futile to fight in this manner. Never losing her spirit, Lark becomes the slave for Kalen whose family owns an importing company- whose largest import has become slaves.

The book is broken into a few parts, and I felt that each part could have been fleshed out into a book. Although the ending had good closure, it was still open enough that there could be a sequel. While I absolutely devoured this book (so good I couldn't put it down!), I actually might have liked to see it broken into more books so I could learn even more about these worlds and Lark. We only get a flavor of her life as a free person at the beginning before moving on to her life as a slave. The pace after that first part does slow down a bit, but there is still a lot of content to unwrap and think about. That being said, it was all easy to follow and I never got lost in the plot or the new worlds created here.

There were a lot of views on slavery espoused by different characters in the book, echoing some of the views held by humans in the past, and this could potentially spark some good discussions. Lark's situation was a bit ideal in some ways, but she still received some small tastes of the harsher sides of slavery. As for the romance, I really enjoyed the slow build of Kalen and Lark's relationship. I think it really helped that they met (very beginning of the book) while she was still free, and so there wasn't a stark power differential from the get-go that brings in some questions about validity. The focus of the book is really on Lark, so while we get to know Kalen decently well, we really get into Lark's mind. Lark was easy to like and empathize with, the ideal character for the story, and I liked reading her perspective. Speaking of romance, there are some really steamy scenes, including eventually a sex scene (with some detail) that might make this appropriate for older teens.

Overall, this is a really fantastic sci-fi/romance, and I absolutely enjoyed every second of it- I would love to read more from this author! I highly recommend to sci-fi/fantasy lovers- this book is sure to be a hit! Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

[Jessthebookslover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of The Vanishing Spark of Dusk by Sara Baysinger.
Rating: 4/5 stars
What the hell have I just finished reading?
Sara never fails to surprise me. With a completely new story, she leaves the dystopian world for a sci-fi one.
And she nails it again.
Plot below:
·
Stand up.

When Lark is stolen from Earth to be a slave on the planet Tavdora, she’s determined to find her way back home to her family, no matter the cost. Placed in the household of a notorious slave trader, Lark quickly learns her best assets are her eyes and ears. And if she’s brave enough, her voice.

Be heard.

Kalen is the Tavdorian son of a slave trader and in line to inherit his father’s business. But his growing feelings for Lark, the new house slave who dares to speak of freedom, compel him to reveal his new plan for the slave ships returning to Earth—escape. Together, they just might spark a change that flares across the universe.

Fight back.
·
I already reviewed 3 book by Sara and I'd lie if I said that they weren't all freaking fantastic.
This one is no exception, but unlike the ones I've read before, it has some flaws in my opinion.
They're not really FLAWS but more like... Repetitions from her previous works.
We see some things in TVSOD that also were in the Black Tiger series, with different twists, but we still see them:
The humans on Earth that are part of Lark's community are farmers again, there's an "unknown tribe"/rebels against the government again, there's a sort of beast that is used against the rebels just like the Black Tigers were used, there's again an illness or plague showing up in the book, just like in White Dawn, there's again this "pull" towards a higher power, and then the little details: the inhale/exhale thing was present in Black Tiger as it is here and there's a guy who plays the guitar and sings again.
·
What I'm trying to convey is that this book although great(!!) felt like a summary of what happened in the Black Tiger series with a new world and plot twists at its back.
Don't get me wrong: if you haven't read the Black Tiger series, all these things won't affect your reading, but if you have... You might notice them the way I did.
Also, if you read her previous works, you might also notice that Kalen is a mix of Forest (he doesn't believe in the rebel group, doesn't want to do anything illegal and so on) and Rain (my boy, Kalen falls for Lark, so he has to do something against what he believes in).
·
But despite all this, I loved this book and its story, Lark and Kalen have a place in my heart.

[Morgan | Mashleas Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I feel like I will be one of the only people who did not enjoy this book. Sadly I did not finish it. I wanted to love it, I really did. It sounded exactly like the kind of book I (and many others) would appreciate, with hints of rebellion, a forbidden romance and space travel. I thought that despite the strong beginning to the book, everything seemed a bit forced and too easy or convenient for our heroine. I did not like Kalen or Lark at all, even though I wanted to. Some of their interactions were very cliche. I enjoyed the premise of this plot, but overall I think it missed the mark. In the end I stopped reading at approximately 55% of the way through. I am not sure if I will continue to read this book in the future, and at this time would not recommend to friends or family.

Blog

[Toni Shiloh]

Review to come

[T. Rosado · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

To me, this story was more NA than YA. Although age wasn't mentioned, there was some mature content and the main characters appeared to be living and making life choices of someone in their 20's. Granted this is sci-fi and maybe the ages of the characters were meant to be irrelevant. Even so, as an adult reader, I enjoyed this book tremendously and wouldn’t hesitate to read more like it.

The Vanishing Spark of Dusk was intense, romantic, gut-wrenching, and eerily reminiscent of a not-so-long-ago past. I enjoy sci-fi/alien/romance stories and this one was all that and so much more. It was somewhat of an allegorical re-telling of America’s own history with slavery. The effect on me was visceral as I read about the subordinate and inhumane treatment of alien slaves. Much like how I have felt when reading or watching movies about American slavery or Native American displacement. That along with the suspense of attempted escapes, threat of capture, or impending punishments; I often felt on edge and had to put the book down for moments of respite. To be fair, it never stopped me from picking it back up and continuing on and my imagination and fears were always much worse than what actually occurred.

As for the romance, I was hooked. With so many obstacles in the way of Lark and Kalen’s forbidden romance, it was thrilling to watch them dance around their attraction and tentatively throw caution aside. Overall, this was a wonderful story that ends with a satisfying conclusion, but with definite hints of a continuing series. If so, I’m on board for reading more of this world. (This is my voluntary and unbiased review of an advanced copy of The Vanishing Spark of Dusk via Entangled Teen and Netgalley)

[Stephanie Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect when I read the description for this book. I like science fiction, but I don't normally read many alien-related novels - so I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive and on the fence to begin with. Gladly, I was quickly and easily sucked into Lark's world and ended up really liking the book. There were a couple aspects that I didn't really care for much - the majority of the story line was about slavery, inequality, social injustice, freeing slaves, escaping, etc. I knew this before starting due to the description, but I found myself getting bored some of the time with it. I'm not exactly sure what didn't grab my attention - sometimes it felt dry and boring, and the pace felt like it was dragging along. On top of that, it felt kind of overplayed - like it was almost over the top with all of it. I'm not sure that even makes sense to anyone, but it's the best I can describe it. There were quite a few secondary characters that made the story interesting, but also confusing at times because these characters were different species and had different ranks in the society, and so on. That was another part that brought me down a bit.

On the positive side, I really loved Lark and her story. She really changes and grows into her own throughout the book, and we get to see that as it happens. I found her character easy to identify with, very likeable, and realistic. She was a great main character that I found myself invested in from the beginning and rooting for the entire length of the story. Of course, I also loved Kalen and getting to know him. He's supposed to be one of the bad guys, but Lark manages to make him open up and we see him for who he is and wants to become. I adored seeing them meet and then watching as their relationship grew and bloomed during the story. The last thing I want to mention that stood out for me was the author's writing style. She wrote from the first person point of view, with Lark as the narrator. This is by far my favorite style of writing and I think it worked perfectly for this story. We got to really know Lark throughout the book and it felt like I was going through everything right beside her. That's one trait I believe only the first person POV style can give to the reader and it always makes a huge difference for me and my reading experience. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to fans of YA science fiction and readers who especially like sci-fi romance and alien fiction.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/YuWTTcYC6fQ

4.5 stars

Oh, this book! I came expecting one thing and got quite another! Some of it might have left me slightly uncomfortable (Lark has quite the potty mouth), but others were just overwhelming in how beautiful they were.

So many different topics were hit in this story that are so relevant to the issue of race, gender, and self-sacrifice. Lark and Kalen's story was one of the most powerful things that hit home. Though some parts were quite steamy, their relationship is simply beautiful. I won't go into detail of exactly how (because major spoilers), but the author did an fantastic job of showing how incredible real love is.

One thing that really stood out to me was the realism. Lark is taken to another planet, but some of the things that she says or happens really blew me away. It made her very much a character I could sympathize with. Not only that, the world of Tavdora was very engaging and felt like I was really there.

Overall, this book was very good, despite if I didn't feel comfortable with everything. I would recommend to mature teens for certain content, but this message is for anyone. It's a gut-puncher as well as blooming romance that speaks to the heart.

*(I received an ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts expressed are my own.)*

[Nina {ᴡᴏʀᴅs ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ} · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

Many thanks to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Overall this was an interesting story about a romance between a human slave and Tavdorian slavetrader (who isn't much of a slavetrader). The world building is fantastic. I do love that a lot of thought was put into the cultures of Tavdorians, Onmarians and whatnot. It really came to life. This was perhaps one of my favourite aspects of this arc. A well built world provides a very strong platform for the rest of the story to unfold upon.

Regarding the plot. It's a very straightforward kind of plot. You've seen it all before. Girl gets caught/put into slavery, has a master (either mean or nice, in this case, the latter), and wants to go back home. Therefore to go back home, she must find a way to do so, finds out about rebels, joins rebels and on we go. The final end scene will of course be them back home. Thus, a very ordinary plot. How the plot is told then sometimes becomes more important, especially if the twists and turns of the plot are unremarkable and can be said to be predictable. In saying that, Baysinger weaves her plot ordinarily, however she balances it out with developing the romance between Lark and Kalen, well enough. I did mostly like the development of the romance, Kalen is really sweet, and he's pretty much a picture perfect book boyfriend. And he stands out the most as the character I wanted to read about, look forward to reading about. On the other hand, is Lark.

Now Lark is the main protagonist. She's the head we've borrowed to read her story, and to be honest. I didn't like her all that much. The only moment I really felt for her was at the beginning wherein which a 'trigger' moment happened - for those who don't like trigger moments and have avoided watching movies such as John Wick because of that, then don't read this book. You'll get the exact same kind of thing. Anyway since I can't spoil it, I'll leave that at that, and say that that moment was perhaps the time I felt the most for Lark. There are also other times too, but they're less clear than that one moment in the beginning of the book. Throughout the rest of the book, Lark is both passionate and strong, and also just a bit irritating. There were a hundred moments where I wished I could strangle her, or felt that she acted suddenly so spontaneously, I had to doublecheck if I had read the right character. For example, suddenly using the 'f' word at the end, where I hadn't heard it from her character earlier on. And being so reckless....when half the time she acts timid or quiet and I can't help but think "am I reading the same character"? The beginning too, introduces Lark as a quiet girl. And while I do love characters who grow and get stronger and lose their timid selves, Lark's transition seemed off to me. So much so that her info dumping at the end on Kalen and the constantly telling Kalen everything thing even though she was warned not, kind of didn't give me the right feels - like she should do it, but her emotions didn't match the image that was in my head.

In saying that, there is one/several minor scenes in the book that also triggered something in me that I didn't like at all. It might be fine for others and I'm not saying don't read it because it has this in it. But I do want to bring it up. Using words like 'slut' maybe normal and whatnot, but to have a character verbalise it antagonistically when it's not a word that's used constantly or referred to throughout the books makes it seriously out of context. (At least for me.) Furthermore, I felt that it was entirely unnecessary for the former lover to be the one to verbalise the word simply because she's the 'other woman' and actually has rights to be with the man involved with Lark being the intruding individual. That scene also involved Lark drinking under pressure (again, this scene actually fits the world but some of the dialogue does not) and so she's a lot of things that are well. Anyway back to this one woman versus another thing. This kind of aggressive verbalisation and antagonise a character in such a way may be warranted in some cases, and may actually help further develop a story, but in this case I think it was entirely unnecessary.

Romance and pacing. The romance is actually developed well. Kalen and Lark are always together and it's not insta-love. There's insta attraction but they both take time to learn and understand each other. The pacing is also well done. It never feels rushed. But it also doesn't feel slow. I should point out also that while the romance is true and feels real, this book also contains mature scenes. It's not graphic or crude like you might find in any Sarah J Maas series (not that it's extremely graphic but for something classed as YA, that is more NA, it's a bit too much). But the main scene is I guess you could say one of love.

OVERALL
I would recommend the Vanishing Spark of Dusk if any of the warnings I list above don't bother you. It IS well written. Maybe not beautifully like Lauren Oliver or VE Schwab and it may not have the same intensity for those who are fans of Sarah J Maas, but the romance is well paced and developed. If you want a story that's really going into alien culture and interspecies, then this has it. And it's not just aliens coming and being human, but it's a human in an alien world.

[Holly Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really excited to hear about this book when Entangled Teen began teasing it as a forthcoming release, because I just love science fiction. SFF has been one of my top two favorite genres (the other being historical fiction) for as long as I can remember. Throw in aliens and new planets to discover, and I’m there! So I jumped at the chance to read this one.

I will say there are things I did like and things I didn’t like, but the good definitely outweighs the bad on balance, hence the 4-star rating. I’m not usually one to give content warnings or trigger warnings, but I would say that this is probably best enjoyed by older (or more mature) teens, due to some of the themes and scenes. There is one scene around 10% or so that was completely unexpected - at least to me - and absolutely heart-wrenching, so be forewarned. Also, since the main topic of the book is slavery, it may be difficult for some to read. The scenes that you may call “sexual” are not really explicit, but there are sexual themes that go along with the slavery aspect.

Okay, all that said: let’s discuss the few things I didn’t like first. These may seem nitpicky to some, but as someone who really enjoys and reads a lot of science fiction, these are issues that are relatively common, especially for an author who’s not immersed in the genre. First, there are all kinds of aliens in the book - which I normally love! However, every single species, from many different planets, is humanoid - they basically all look just like humans, with small differences like orange skin or being 8-feet tall and the like. I grant you that it’s extra challenging to write about aliens that *aren’t* humanoid, but that’s kind of the point, right? It’s pretty hard to believe that there are all these other planets with many species out there in the universe and ... they’re all just like us. Down to wearing clothes and shoes that look just like our clothes and shoes, for example. It’s just...I wish there were more variety on this front. Second, I found it rather unbelievable that all of these different species can communicate with one another like the instant they meet. I understand that Lark has been taught to speak and read at least some of the Tavdorian language by an escaped slave, but how does she communicate with the other slaves once she’s taken to Tavdora? Surely all the slaves don’t speak *English*? And if they’re speaking Tavdorian, we’re to believe she’s actually perfectly fluent in the language? One conversation that struck me in this regard was with a non-Tavdorian, a slave named Bram, who’s talking about compassion for others and the like, and all I could think was, did the escaped slave really teach her the word for “compassion”? It’s just a little unbelievable. So you really have to have the willing suspension of disbelief when reading this. I tried not to let it bother me, but I did want to make sure I point it out!

Now, on to what I did like! Ms. Baysinger’s writing is fantastic, and I have already purchased her self-published debut, Black Tiger, to read soon. I would also definitely pick up another book in this world, should she turn this into a series or write a companion novel to this one. The characters were all really well-drawn, and there were a fair amount of them to keep track of (which is something I like). Each character was distinctive and you could quickly associate them with their characteristics when they showed up on the page (eg, Zimri - evil and cold). Kalen is a hot alien, which is always a plus :) And Lark was a good main character, someone you can definitely root for. She’s naive at the beginning, and the circumstances leading to her capture are heartbreaking, but she grows as the novel progresses and it’s fun to see her come into her strength. In addition to the characters, the world-building is great; I could see the city of Neket in my mind, visualizing the violet waters of the ocean there. There is also intrigue, rebels, “space pirates,” evil slave traders, and slaves yearning and scheming to set themselves free, which makes for a great story!

Overall, I really enjoyed reading The Vanishing Spark of Dusk, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA science fiction, or someone who wants to give it a try but isn’t quite ready for “hard” sci-fi. There’s also adventure and romance, so there’s really something for everyone! I liked the emphasis on overcoming stereotypes we have about others, whether they be aliens or, in our world, someone of a different race or religion, and I think it’s a positive theme for young adult readers. If the summary interests you, I encourage you to go for it and give this book a chance! I think you’ll be surprised at how much you enjoy reading about alien beings, even if they have become our new overlords on Earth :)

Thanks so much to YA Reads and Entangled Teen for including me on the blog tour, and to Sara Baysinger for a great story!

Rating: 4 out-of-this-universe stars!

Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book from Entangled Teen for purposes of this blog tour. This review is written voluntarily by me and is my honest rating and review of the book.

[Bran Pendergrass · Rating 4 out of 5]

~I was provided this book in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley and Entangled: Teen Publishing.~

My Synopsis:
In a world where being human is terrifying and aliens haunt their nightmares, Lark tries to keep her head down in a safe area and etch out a meager life. That is until her world is turned upside down and she finds herself a slave on the home planet of the aliens that haunt her every waking moment- perhaps her sleeping ones too. Kalen is the son of a notorious slave trader and is compelled to the strange human who openly speaks of escape- of freedom! Together they might have a chance to change things and to end the torment of all the human race.

The Breakdown:

I enjoy reading new and exciting books that are outside of my comfort zone. I normally stray away from Alien/Human romances but this time I was pleasantly surprised! I was immediately drawn into the world and found a fondness for Lark. The fear of being enslaved to the Tavdorians is a daily occurrence and I could feel the tension in the book.

The imagery was very different than other alien books that I have read, and I did enjoy getting emerged into a beautiful new world that was Tavdora. To being exposed to realities that are not entirely different than our own here on Earth today. Everyone fears the unknown and the hate for a group of people or one individual can sway an entire populous of peoples. I like that the author touched on the taboo of different races and cultures to open the eyes of outsiders so that they might see that there can be is good and evil in every race, species, and populous in any culture.

The Characters That Make This Book Delectable:

The people of this book were well thought out and their personas were foremost in the author’s mind at all times. There is no question of where any of their loyalties lie and who is on what side of the decided demarcation of inner planetary species!

I really loved how lark came out of her shell and decided to step and be a beacon of hope where there was none. I like how she always seemed to blunder her way through the story. After all, she is not a true heroine and never has been trained to be that. No, Lark is a survivor and as long as there is hope, and determination left in her body she will do what is necessary to make it home! Falling in love was just a side note and I grew to like her budding relationship with Kalen.

I also could see where Kalon was coming from and how he also wanted to escape the world that his culture had built. With the high expectations that his father put on him and the ever-growing admiration of the slave girl lark, he was completely torn between what was expected of him and what his heart called for. He did a great job of being added to my ever-growing list of Book Boyfriends and I liked how everything with his character played out.

The rest of the cast really didn’t leave an impression on me though I did wonder what happened to the stay and was heartbroken over the loss of one so young and unworldly. It is tragic to die so young and this lingered ever in my mind as the book progressed. As I believe that the author intended it to be, so it could drive the plot forward and get Lark to reach her full potential.

Conclusion:

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a bit of love triumphs over evil and likes a happy ending. Though the book seems to be standalone, I believe that there is potential for the author to revisit the world she created and build upon other characters or introduce new ones. I ultimately gave the story a 4 Star because I believe that there is room to build more story and to expand the characters further as only the main characters really caught my eye.

I just reviewed The Vanishing Spark of Dusk by Sara Baysinger. #TheVanishingSparkOfDusk #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

[Danielle (mischiefalwayswinsthewar) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this so much! The story began a little slow, but things picked up when Lark is taken to Tavdora and placed as a slave in Kalen's household. There, she uncovers a lot more than she bargained for - and a possible way to find get herself home.

Lark is one of those rare characters I identified with right off the bat: shy, introverted, with few close relationships. Baysinger does an excellent job of setting up what Lark was like on Earth, and how it ended up screwing her over in the end. When she gets to Tavdora, she becomes this amazing little badass that speaks up for herself, but also gets herself into loads of trouble. Honestly, every time she was given an order and she blatantly disobeyed, I cringed. Yet she always ended up okay. I think it was really something special to go with Lark on this journey where she finds her voice.

And don't get me started on Kalen. I LOVED HIM. He's my new book boyfriend and no one can tell me otherwise. I'm not kidding, I think I let out a squeal pretty much any time he was on the page. Kalen is a wonderfully complex character, who struggles with honoring his family and his own sense of morality. I was rooting for him throughout the whole book, even when I knew I probably shouldn't be rooting for him.

Tavdora sounds like a place I'd like to visit sometime, except minus the slavery. The technology on Tavdora sounds crazy advanced and seriously COOL. I want my keys to be a cool marble thingie! And from the purple ocean, and the cliffs where Kalen takes Lark to see the night sky, it sounds pretty damn beautiful as well.

The storyline was wonderful, although I was hoping for a smidge more action. I mean, come on, there are space pirates here! I felt like it was chock-full of secret meetings and sneaky plans, but I was dying for a great fight scene.

I did get my adventure fill with The Renegade, the group Lark joins to get herself home. There are quite a few members who I wish I got to see more of, or learn more about. The Renegade is what drives the story forward and brings Lark to a decision that wrecks her to make. There were so many plot twists regarding who was involved that my mind was blown and I loved every second of it.

The real thing that kept me stuck on this story was Lark and Kalen's relationship. They had such great chemistry and I adored them together. So much sass and affection for two characters who knew it would be trouble to fall for each other and end up doing it anyway. There were so many moments I swooned over, and parts that broke my heart. Like actually hurt me! Which to me is always a sign of a good book.

All in all, I loved this. It was the perfect length for my first read of 2018. Please, do yourself a favor, and go snag a copy. There's adventure, romance, a little bit of sexiness (okay, a whole lot where Kalen is concerned, but also some other sexiness), and a mission for freedom that'll hook you. This was my first novel from Entangled TEEN Publishing, but I can tell you it won't be my last. Same can be said for Sara Baysinger. I've got my fingers AND toes crossed for a sequel!

[(Love, Stars and Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free eARC from Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.



“Eck blethian - They’re coming.”


Title: The Vanishing Spark of Dusk (Release date: 8 Jan 2018)
Author: Sara Baysinger
Format: eARC
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Dystopian
Rating: 5/5 stars
[Synopsis] (Taken from goodreads) 

Stand up. 

When Lark is stolen from Earth to be a slave on the planet Tavdora, she’s determined to find her way back home to her family, no matter the cost. Placed in the household of a notorious slave trader, Lark quickly learns her best assets are her eyes and ears. And if she’s brave enough, her voice.

Be heard. 

Kalen is the Tavdorian son of a slave trader and in line to inherit his father’s business. But his growing feelings for Lark, the new house slave who dares to speak of freedom, compel him to reveal his new plan for the slave ships returning to Earth—escape. Together, they just might spark a change that flares across the universe.

Fight back.

(Review)

(DISCLAIMER: This review is based on my opinion only and may contain coarse language)

Before I start my review, I would like to say that you should mark your calendars for 8th January 2018, AND GET THIS BOOK!

This book, it left me so speechless, I don’t know where to start (in a VERY good way).

Imagine Red Queen plus Beauty and the Beast set in space. Like the sound of that? This book is along those lines!

When Lark is betrayed and becomes a slave on the planet Tavdora, she meets Kalen; the heir to the Slave trading business. When Lark is offered a role she cannot refuse, her decisions ignite the spark that echoes throughout the universe.

I absolutely HATED Zimri and how heartless he was, but his redemption arc was really convincing and surprisingly great.

On the other hand, I absolutely LOVED the protagonist, Lark. Although she has always been ‘invisible’ throughout her life, she is kind yet fearless and savage.

I loved the room scene (read to find out what this is) and Lark and Kalen are so cute! Their relationship was so beautifully heartbreaking and it left me in tears.

The world building was fantastic and reminded me of Starglass by Phoebe North. And the plot twist shook me!

I would love to get a hardcopy of the book when it is published! I absolutely loved it! I WANTED to read more of this series because of the beautiful world building and I sincerely didn’t expect to fall in love with this book so much!