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Spark
Phe lives a dual life.
Everyone knows Phe as the sickly best friend of Her Grace, Kyra Theonora, the last Water Nymph duty bound by a familial oath to protect the island country of Xafara. Only a select group of people are aware of Phe’s shadow side. Trained by General Bastion to be an assassin and Kyra’s secret weapon.
Everything changes when Kyra is abducted, exposing Phe’s cover and acting as a catalyst to Phe’s own bound magic, thrusting Phe into a world she’d thought a fantasy.
As Phe maneuvers the unfamiliar landscape of magic, grappling with one obstacle after another, she tries to figure out how to save her best friend. Will she survive this new magical world? Will she rescue Kyra? Will she sacrifice herself in the process?
Everyone knows Phe as the sickly best friend of Her Grace, Kyra Theonora, the last Water Nymph duty bound by a familial oath to protect the island country of Xafara. Only a select group of people are aware of Phe’s shadow side. Trained by General Bastion to be an assassin and Kyra’s secret weapon.
Everything changes when Kyra is abducted, exposing Phe’s cover and acting as a catalyst to Phe’s own bound magic, thrusting Phe into a world she’d thought a fantasy.
As Phe maneuvers the unfamiliar landscape of magic, grappling with one obstacle after another, she tries to figure out how to save her best friend. Will she survive this new magical world? Will she rescue Kyra? Will she sacrifice herself in the process?
476 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2022
8 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
Krysta Maravilla
6 books16 followersWhen Krysta Maravilla isn’t squirrelled away writing and reading and eating Nutella, she can be found plotting her next adventure as she loves to explore. With a passion for hiking and a desire to experience different cultures, she has lived in various places throughout the US and the world.
Her love of fantasy and adventure and romance has inspired her to write her own stories, which transport readers to fantastical worlds filled with magic and action where she weaves in themes of healing, friendship, and loyalty.
Check out her website and join her newsletter if you want monthly updates on Of Fire and Shadows series, her wanderings, and various projects.
Her love of fantasy and adventure and romance has inspired her to write her own stories, which transport readers to fantastical worlds filled with magic and action where she weaves in themes of healing, friendship, and loyalty.
Check out her website and join her newsletter if you want monthly updates on Of Fire and Shadows series, her wanderings, and various projects.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 12, 2023
First of all, thank you so much to Krysta for the ARC. I'm honored that this is my first ARC read ever!
Spark follows Phe, a girl in her 20s who's not as she seems. While she appears sickly and weak at court when she's spending time with her best friend, Kyra Theonora, she's actually a very skilled and highly capable assassin, trained since childhood to keep Kyra safe. This is Phe's life's purpose, so when Kyra is abducted by an unknown who can possess people to do his dirty work, there's nothing Phe wouldn't do to save her friend. Good thing she discovers not only that magic is real, but that she has a huge amount of it, which was bound during childhood, a time in her life she remembers nothing about.
So, we go on a journey with Phe and discover the magic of this world with her as she tries to master it and get Kyra back. We also get to know her very well as a person and we're introduced to a lot of other characters, my favorite ones being Roar and Finian (he's so much fun, I love him). Overall, the story is full of action, emotion, magic, and mystery.
While I think the plot could be more compelling, the main focus of the story is Phe and worldbuilding to set up the rest of the series, so this is a solid start and I'm very interested in what comes next for Phe. I recommend it if you're in the mood for an action-packed fantasy with a strong FMC, a super slow-burn, wholesome romance budding in the background, and a character-driven story that's very easy to read and enjoy.
Spark follows Phe, a girl in her 20s who's not as she seems. While she appears sickly and weak at court when she's spending time with her best friend, Kyra Theonora, she's actually a very skilled and highly capable assassin, trained since childhood to keep Kyra safe. This is Phe's life's purpose, so when Kyra is abducted by an unknown who can possess people to do his dirty work, there's nothing Phe wouldn't do to save her friend. Good thing she discovers not only that magic is real, but that she has a huge amount of it, which was bound during childhood, a time in her life she remembers nothing about.
So, we go on a journey with Phe and discover the magic of this world with her as she tries to master it and get Kyra back. We also get to know her very well as a person and we're introduced to a lot of other characters, my favorite ones being Roar and Finian (he's so much fun, I love him). Overall, the story is full of action, emotion, magic, and mystery.
While I think the plot could be more compelling, the main focus of the story is Phe and worldbuilding to set up the rest of the series, so this is a solid start and I'm very interested in what comes next for Phe. I recommend it if you're in the mood for an action-packed fantasy with a strong FMC, a super slow-burn, wholesome romance budding in the background, and a character-driven story that's very easy to read and enjoy.
December 24, 2022
Phe’s life is hard but predictable. She exists to protect Kyra, her best friend, and the only remaining water nymph in Oceania. To do so, she must keep her skills, history, and training as an elite assassin secret from everyone. Sure, she has recurring nightmares, a childhood studded with abuse, and a complete void where her earliest memories should be, but those traumas are just part of what she has to deal with on her own, right? She walks this tenuous tightrope until the night Kyra is kidnapped and Phe’s own bound magic explodes out of her. Now she’s discovering the place she calls home and the people she calls friends are not all they seemed to be.
Tautly paced, packed with emotional and physical trauma and healing, readers will root for Phe (and sometimes yell at her) as she struggles to find herself and her friend in a world where nothing is what she thought.
Tautly paced, packed with emotional and physical trauma and healing, readers will root for Phe (and sometimes yell at her) as she struggles to find herself and her friend in a world where nothing is what she thought.
October 27, 2022
A magical book which had me hooked from the first page. A girl who is not all she seems, hiding her true nature while battling with a repetitive nightmare, Phe has been taught her whole life that magic doesn't exist. But when her bound magic rises to the surface, her friendships are tested and her life is irrevocably changed. Can she get to grips with the changes in her life? Who can she trust? Who is out to help her, and out to get her? I really felt for Phe as she struggled to figure it all out, and battled with magic, both internal and external. A real page turner, filled with elements of intrigue, turmoil, and discovery. I cannot wait for the next book in this series!
January 21, 2023
The creativity of the story and characters is amazing! From page 1, you are drawn in and won't want to put it down. There is a great combination of action, suspense, heartache, joy, humor, drama, romance...it's all so beautifully combined. The world of magic that the author creates is one you won't want to leave. The author uses very descriptive and poetic language, which is a joy to read and really helps bring the story alive. Really looking forward to the sequel because you become very attached to the characters and their journeys and it's hard to say goodbye when you finish the book!
December 28, 2022
Enthralling!
Rats! It ended too soon! I’m still mystified and looking forward to the next book to learn more about Phe’s background. Good characters, descriptive world, enough relationship tension to keep the pages turning. I’ve already gifted a copy to my 18 yr old niece - an avid reader of YA fiction.
Rats! It ended too soon! I’m still mystified and looking forward to the next book to learn more about Phe’s background. Good characters, descriptive world, enough relationship tension to keep the pages turning. I’ve already gifted a copy to my 18 yr old niece - an avid reader of YA fiction.
October 20, 2023
great character
Phe is such a wonderful, complex character. I loved how broken and rage-filled she was. Combined with her determination and loyalty to her friend, she was very compelling. I love a story where someone discovers magic and has deep powers.
Two great antagonists and a fantastic cast of characters. Wonderful world building and fascinating magic.
Really enjoyed!
Phe is such a wonderful, complex character. I loved how broken and rage-filled she was. Combined with her determination and loyalty to her friend, she was very compelling. I love a story where someone discovers magic and has deep powers.
Two great antagonists and a fantastic cast of characters. Wonderful world building and fascinating magic.
Really enjoyed!
December 26, 2024
A gripping story.
Complex characters and great world-building along with Phe’s lack of understanding about her history, her abilities and other people’s motives make this an intriguing book. There is much for Phe still to learn and achieve, and I can’t wait to start the next book in the series.
Complex characters and great world-building along with Phe’s lack of understanding about her history, her abilities and other people’s motives make this an intriguing book. There is much for Phe still to learn and achieve, and I can’t wait to start the next book in the series.
September 18, 2023
An interesting read
Magic is real ...she's been lied to most her life can she rise above that in time to save her sea sister or will all be lost? Read and find out it is definitely an interesting read filled with powerful intrigue. Worth every page.
Magic is real ...she's been lied to most her life can she rise above that in time to save her sea sister or will all be lost? Read and find out it is definitely an interesting read filled with powerful intrigue. Worth every page.
November 19, 2023
very complicated world
Phe is a friend and bodyguard, but has skills beyond what she has been taught. Follow her journey as she learns more about her abilities and the secrets of her world.
Phe is a friend and bodyguard, but has skills beyond what she has been taught. Follow her journey as she learns more about her abilities and the secrets of her world.
November 21, 2025
Loved the energy of Spark. The story flows at a great pace, driven by well-crafted characters and stunning world-building. The world felt grounded, but fully fantastical. Can't wait to read more!
January 17, 2023
Phe is the last sea nymph Kyra’s best friend. She is also Kyra’s protector in secret. They are best friends, but Phe has a mysterious past and has been selected by the cruel general Bastion for shadow training. Phe’s disturbing and haunting past is unlocked when Kyra gets abducted by the evil Djall. Most of the plot line is about Phe discovering her magical powers that make her unique and extremely powerful, and at the same time searching desperately for a way to save Kyra from the despicable clutches of Djall.
Spark has a very “chosen one” focus for the main character Phe. My favorite character aside from Phe is actually Finian, who always calls her “baby girl,” and I think they would have made a better pairing. The romance between Phe and Roar seems quite forced and unnatural from the beginning.
I’m not sure how I feel about the Shadow Unit at the moment. I also don’t know how I feel about Djall, he seems rather flat as a villain. He speaks through other people and controls others but we don’t really get a full glimpse into his character and backstory except that he’s been around trying to take others magic and energy for himself.
The first half was fast-paced and so exhilarating. I devoured each page, with all the beautifully written descriptions. I love the way the author writes descriptions of the landscape and how the author describes physical attributes of characters. The flow immediately sucks the reader into this epic fantasy world. However, I felt the book dragged a bit slowly towards the latter part, due to the constant attacks against Phe, eventually leading to her having to break down and heal again and again, and Phe forms distrust of everyone she thought she could trust.
Spark is recommended for readers of epic fantasy with a focus on secrets revealed and the discovery of magic power.
Forewarning: Spark ends with a cliffhanger and is the first in the Fire and Shadow series! Readers will have to wait in anticipation for the next books in the series.
Spark has a very “chosen one” focus for the main character Phe. My favorite character aside from Phe is actually Finian, who always calls her “baby girl,” and I think they would have made a better pairing. The romance between Phe and Roar seems quite forced and unnatural from the beginning.
I’m not sure how I feel about the Shadow Unit at the moment. I also don’t know how I feel about Djall, he seems rather flat as a villain. He speaks through other people and controls others but we don’t really get a full glimpse into his character and backstory except that he’s been around trying to take others magic and energy for himself.
The first half was fast-paced and so exhilarating. I devoured each page, with all the beautifully written descriptions. I love the way the author writes descriptions of the landscape and how the author describes physical attributes of characters. The flow immediately sucks the reader into this epic fantasy world. However, I felt the book dragged a bit slowly towards the latter part, due to the constant attacks against Phe, eventually leading to her having to break down and heal again and again, and Phe forms distrust of everyone she thought she could trust.
Spark is recommended for readers of epic fantasy with a focus on secrets revealed and the discovery of magic power.
Forewarning: Spark ends with a cliffhanger and is the first in the Fire and Shadow series! Readers will have to wait in anticipation for the next books in the series.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews