Today is my spot on the book tour of Ironspark hosted by TBR and Beyond Tours. Ironspark sounded like a book I needed to read and it gave me a lot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes. This was such a fun book to read and today I want to tell you what I thought of the story and share some of my favorite quotes! Keep on reading to find out more.
A big thanks to Swoonreads for providing an e-arc on Netgalley for me to read and review!
A teen outcast must work together with new friends to keep her family and town safe from murderous Fae while also dealing with panic attacks, family issues, and a lesbian love triangle in C.M. McGuires’s kick-butt paranormal YA debut, Ironspark.
For the past nine years, ever since a bunch of those evil Tinkerbells abducted her mother, cursed her father, and forced her family into hiding, Bryn has devoted herself to learning everything she can about killing the Fae. Now it’s time to put those lessons to use.
Then the Court Fae finally show up, and Bryn realizes she can’t handle this on her own. Thankfully, three friends offer to help: Gwen, a kindhearted water witch; Dom, a new foster kid pulled into her world; and Jasika, a schoolmate with her own grudge against the Fae.
But trust is hard-won, and what little Bryn has gained is put to the test when she uncovers a book of Fae magic that belonged to her mother. With the Fae threat mounting every day, Bryn must choose between faith in her friends and power from a magic that could threaten her very humanity.
Book Links:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43839826-ironspark
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TSVQLP8/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ironspark-c-m-mcguire/1132278936?ean=9781250245267
Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Ironspark-C-M-Mcguire/9781250245267?ref=grid-view&qid=1596734724249&sr=1-1
Indigo: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/ironspark/9781250245267-item.html?ref=isbn-search
Review
When I heard about Ironspark I knew it was a book I needed to read and I was right about that. Ironspark is a fast and fun read and it left me wanting more. That’s always a good sign. I got a lot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes while reading this and that made my fan girl heart really happy!
It’s really clear that our main character Bryn had a lot on her plate, but was also really determined to make sure her family felt safe. As much as that’s possible. I really loved her, because she wasn’t perfect. She didn’t have all the answers and even made mistakes. In a lot of books the main character is the perfect hero, but it’s such a nice touch when that’s not the case. Bryn is definitely a strong character and her love for her family is something that really hit home. Even though she didn’t know what was going to happen, as long as her family was safe, she was okay!
I loved the magical elements in our own world. I loved all the different type of fae and I have to say the Shadelings have a special place in my heart. Marshmallow was just so much fun! That’s the first time I’ve seen something like them in a fantasy book and I loved how it made the story just a bit more unique. It was also interesting to see the difference between human magic and fae magic. I would’ve loved to have more time with the magic element and maybe even more time with her training and learning, because I think that would’ve added just a bit more for me to this story.
Besides our main character and the magical side of this book, the cast of side characters was one I really enjoyed. There was diversity and I just loved how loyal Jasika and Dom were to Bryn. They didn’t have to get mixed up in any of this, but they wouldn’t let her go on her own. Friendship is something I love seeing in books, so this definitely scored points. Also, I loved that there was a hint of romance, but that it didn’t take over the whole book. I would definitely be curious to see how that continues.
I have to say I was the most shocked about how open Ironspark ends! I haven’t seen anything around saying it’s a series, but I really hope so. Ironspark has made me invested in these characters and their story and I need to know how it all plays out. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on C.M. McGuire for more books!
Favorite Quotes
Here are a few quotes I liked while reading this book. I have to say that I didn’t write down many quotes near the ending. Mostly because I just wanted to keep on reading to find out what was happening. I was just sucked into the story!
“The problem with that is most fairy tales are sixty percent bullshit, thirty percent wishful thinking, and ten percent horrifying unknown.”
“Just love killing me some Tinkerbell.”
“Maybe I’d get lucky and he’d just brand me crazy and leave me the hell alone.”
“Love is often the birthplace of haste. It is unfortunate, but difficult to condemn.”
Tour Schedule
Of course, there are a lot of other amazing bloggers and bookstagrammers participating on this tour. Click here for the full tour schedule.
About the Author
When C.M. McGuire, author of Ironspark, was a child, she drove her family crazy with her nonstop stories. Lucky for them, she eventually learned to write and gave their ears a rest. This love of stories led her to college where she pursued history (semi-nonfictional storytelling), anthropology (where stories come from) and theater (attention-seeking storytelling). When she isn’t writing, she’s painting, crocheting, gardening, baking, and teaching the next generation to love stories as much as she does.
Author Links
Website: http://seeemmcguire.weebly.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/seeemmcguire
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seeemmcguire/?hl=en
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18849889.C_M_McGuire
Ironspark was a lot of fun and I definitely want to know how this story will continue! Have you had the chance to read Ironspark? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!
