Powers of the Six: Emissary of Light, Book 1

For hundreds of years, dark clouds covered the skies of Adamah, and an ageless king ruled. Those who emerged with one of six extraordinary Shay powers were forced into the king's army, an unmatched force with inhuman strength, speed, accuracy, perception, empathy, and healing. With the army behind him, the king - a man who wields all six abilities - was invincible and unquestioned in his rule.

Extermination: Daniel Black, Book 3

Gaea's favored children have put her ancient plan to cleanse the Earth of humans into motion, and Kozalin stands high on their list of targets. Uncertain alliances, scheming gods, and an implacable foe will push Daniel to his limits. How far will the wizard from Earth go to protect his family?

Alien Arcana: Starship's Mage Series, Book 4

When a scientist is murdered after finding signs of alien magic in an archeological dig, Mage Damien Montgomery, Hand of the Mage-King of Mars, is sent to investigate both the murder and the alien runes. His investigation is interrupted when a mysterious ship attacks the ruins with weapons only available to the Martian Navy. Despite saving the dig site, Montgomery is left with more questions than answers.

Super Powereds: Year 1: Super Powereds, Book 1

Knowledge is power. That would be the motto of Lander University, had it not been snatched up and used to death by others long before the school was founded. For while Lander offers a full range of courses to nearly all students, it also offers a small number of specialty classes to a very select few. Lander is home to the Hero Certification Program, a curriculum designed to develop students with superhuman capabilities, commonly known as Supers, into official Heroes.

Project Daily Grind: Mirror World Series, Book 1

The ads enthused, "The virtual lands of Mirror World await you! Live out your most secret dreams in our world of Sword and Sorcery! Become a Great Wizard or a Famous Warrior! Build your own castle, tame a dragon, conquer a kingdom! All those desperate, lonely, and insecure - Mirror World offers you a chance!" But Oleg isn't meant to become a great wizard or a famous warrior. He'll never have a castle of his own. Nor will he ever tame a dragon. And he's definitely not the type to conquer a kingdom, however virtual it may be.

Immortal: Curse of the Deathless

Asher Hearst is a college student, and the closest thing he has to a superpower is being able to take a punch. Basically all he has going for him is an edgy sense of humor - and that he can't die. As a small-time fixer, he's about to get involved in a job best left alone. After he gets involved with witches and the supernatural, there's no turning back.

Kin of Kings (The Kin of Kings: Book 1)

The first great war of Ovira is over, and the most hated king in centuries is dead, but his nephew still lives. However, Basen had nothing to do with the destructive war his uncle started. In fact it was his uncle who exiled him and his father to the territory of their enemies, where Basen's dreams of becoming a legendary mage now fade, as he must work all day just to eat. His only chance at regaining some semblance of the life he thought he would lead is to join an elite school that trains, houses, and feeds a thousand new young men and women each year.

Closer to the Chest: The Herald Spy, Book Three

Herald Mags, the King of Valdemar's Herald-Spy, has been developing a clandestine network of young informants who operate not only on the streets of the capital city of Haven but also in the Great Halls and kitchens of the wealthy and highborn. In his own established alternate personas, Mags observes the Court and the alleys alike, quietly gathering information to keep Haven and the Kingdom safe.

Dead Man: Black Magic Outlaw, Book 1

I'm Cisco Suarez: necromancer, shadow charmer, black magic outlaw. Sounds kinda cool, doesn't it? It was, right until I woke up half dead in a dumpster. Did I say half dead? Because I meant 100% dead. Full on. I don't do things halfway. So here I am, alive for some reason, just another sunny day in Miami. It's a perfect paradise, except I'm into something bad. Wanted by police, drenched in the stink of dark magic, nether creatures coming out of the woodwork, and don't get me started on the Haitian voodoo gang.

Fimbulwinter: Daniel Black, Book 1

Summoned to a world in the midst of apocalypse, Daniel Black would have his hands full just staying alive. Add in refugees, desperate soldiers, scheming nobles and a pair of thoroughly wicked witches, and life is going to be very busy indeed. Good thing he has magic of his own to even the scales. But will even that be enough?

Black Coven: Daniel Black, Book 2

Surviving Ragnarok is a challenge no matter what powers you have, and new problems keep cropping up. Demanding witches, genocidal monsters, divine feuds, and local politics will all keep Daniel on his toes. But his enemies have made one crucial mistake. They've given an engineer who understands the nature of magic time to build things.

Survival Quest: Way of the Shaman Series # 1

Barliona: a virtual world jam-packed with monsters, battles - and, predictably, players. Millions of them come to Barliona, looking forward to the things they can't get in real life: elves and magic, dragons and princesses, and unforgettable combat. The game has become so popular that players now choose to spend months online without returning home. In Barliona, anything goes: You can assault fellow players, level up, become a mythical hero, a wizard, or a legendary thief.

Lost Soul: Harbinger P.I., Book 1

I'm the guy you come to when your spouse gets bitten by a werewolf, or your honey is kidnapped by a demon. I'm the guy who knows how to save you from an evil curse or angry vampire. At least, I was that guy until the Society of Shadows sent me to Dearmont, Maine, a sleepy town that had a zero rating on the supernatural occurrences scale. But when a woman hires me to find out if her son has been possessed by a demon at a rich kids' party, Dearmont goes from zero to hero.

Awaken Online: Catharsis

Jason logs into Awaken Online fed-up with reality. He's in desperate need of an escape, and this game is his ticket to finally feeling the type of power and freedom that are so sorely lacking in his real life. Awaken Online is a brand new virtual reality game that just hit the market, promising an unprecedented level of immersion. Yet Jason quickly finds himself pushed down a path he didn't expect. In this game, he isn't the hero. There are no damsels to save. There are no bad guys to vanquish.

Cursed: The Thrice Cursed Mage, Book 1

My name is Mac Brennan, and that's the only thing I can remember about myself. Not why I woke up in a dumpster. Not why my right arm is as black as pitch and covered in glowing red tattoos, and certainly not why a vicious death cult is after me. Actually, that last part isn't true. I know why the death cult is after me. It's because I saved that damned girl from them. I didn't know who she was at the time, but I'd have done it anyway. I just don't like it when girls get beat up; call me old fashioned.

Voice of Mars: Starship's Mage, Book 3

When accusations of piracy and mass murder are laid against his homeworld, Damien Montgomery is sent to resolve the crisis. As counteraccusations fly and an old flame reenters his life, the newest Hand of the Mage-King of Mars finds himself in the midst of a bloody interstellar shadow war. With the death toll mounting, Damien must decide whether he should trust the world he came from - or the world that asked for his help. The wrong choice will trigger a civil war that could shatter human civilization. No pressure.

Starship's Mage Omnibus: Starship's Mage Series #1

In a galaxy tied together by the magic of the elite Jump Magi, Damien Montgomery is a newly graduated member of their number. With no family or connections to find a ship, he is forced into service on an interstellar freighter known to be hunted by pirates. When he takes drastic action to save the Blue Jay from their pursuers, he sets in motion a sequence of events beyond his control and attracts enemies on both sides of the law.

Reign of Madness: King's Dark Tidings, Book 2

Equipped with skills far beyond those of the outworlders, Rezkin has been suddenly thrust into a foreign world. The young warrior clings to his only known purpose as he continues his search for any information about his identity and the reason for his existence. While the hardened warrior scorns both dueling and tournaments, he believes some of the answers he seeks may be found at the King's Tournament, the greatest dueling championship in all of the kingdoms.

Fledgling: The Dragonrider Chronicles, Book 1

Can one boy stand between two kingdoms at war? Jaevid Broadfeather has grown up as a wartime refugee, hiding from the world because of his mixed racial heritage. He feels his future is hopeless - until a chance encounter with a wild dragon lands him in Blybrig Academy, a place usually forbidden to anyone but the rich and royal. But Jaevid's case is special; no dragon has voluntarily chosen a rider in decades, so the proud riders of Blybrig must begrudgingly let him join their brotherhood despite his bloodline.

Imperium: Caulborn, Book 1

Vincent Corinthos has two things going for him: he's a top operative of a secret agency tasked with handling paranormal threats, and he's half-god. Normally that's a combo that leaves him well-equipped to handle any problems that come his way. Until now. Something is snatching Boston's most powerful paranormal entities right off the streets. Vampires, lycanthropes, fae, gremlins - no one is safe. No ransom notes, no bodies, no witnesses.

A Question of Will: Aliomenti Saga, Book 1

Will Stark is a self-made multibillionaire, happily married, and a proud father. He arrives home to find his house destroyed and his family murdered and is himself rescued from certain death by a mysterious trio. His rescuers are part of a splinter faction of a centuries-old secret society that has developed incredible technological advances and unlocked the method to release humanity's innate potential. Will was mistakenly believed to be a key dissident and fugitive, on the run from the primary group, known as the Aliomenti.

The Chronicles of Dragon Collection: Series 1 Omnibus, Books 1-10

Sink your claws into the dragon-sized best-selling Chronicles of Dragon series. All 10 books in this series are included in this one-of-a-kind ultra-dragon adventure. This book is huge! Over 50 hours of listening entertainment! This book is a must-have for all dragon lovers worldwide! *Note: These stories are written with younger readers/listeners in mind but has proven to be enjoyed by readers/listeners of all ages. There is no profanity or sexual content. *

Path of The Calm: Saga of The Wolf, Book 1

The young world of Onneron has known peace for years. But now unease has spread across the land as disagreements between factions threaten each other's way of life. The Brothers of the Onneron College dedicate themselves to higher learning and to mastering Paths of magic. They wish to remain independent, but the Onneron Church feels threatened by their ability to heal and vies to take control of their order. Treace, bullied and belittled, is unaware of the plan his deceased father has for him.

Sword Bearer: Return of the Dragons, Book 1

Two forms of power - natural and chemical - divide the world. Dragons, who keep the chemical power in check, have long retreated from human sight; few still believe in them. Inside a castle surrounded by Tuscan hills more and more threatened by chemical forces, 16-year-old Anders lives a sheltered life. But much as his parents try, Anders can't avoid the forces that threaten....

Publisher's Summary

"Everyone in the world has a Spark, a light inside that guides them, keeps them alive."

Starting school is supposed to be a fun and exciting time for any new student. But for Lark, a skilled archer and fledgling mind-reader, it's a creative form of torture. Locked in rooms and hallways with both friends and enemies, bombarded by the thoughts and feelings of his peers, Lark is a prisoner.

On a quest to master his Spark, Lark's mentor - his one ally - is anything but helpful. What Lark fails to realize is the value of his rare ability, and just how far some are willing to go to have control of him.

Sparks is of the training school variety of fantasy: Boy with unexplained abilities gets shipped off unexpectedly to said place where abilities are explained. Boy has mean, evil tutor, who doesn't teach him nice. Girl and bully show up. Boy loves girl, boy fights bully, boy saves girl from bully. Characters develop and do plot moving things that I won't mention to keep from spoiling it for you, then the partially trained students get thrust into a potentially violent, politically volatile situation. More plot stuff, and minor friend characters die, and you want to read the sequel.

Lark is a bit of a boy genius character, a bit too smart for his own good. With his mind reading Spark he can anticipate fights, and he can learn and retain information extraordinarily fast. While important, and certainly relationship building between the characters, the time at the academy is a little rushed and awkward, as is the romance that developed between Lark and Khea.

Khea is rather severely underdeveloped in my opinion, she's a likable character with a lot of potential for the rest of the series, obviously important as a love interest and motive for the main character, and a large catalyst of the plot towards the end, but for most of the book she just fuels Lark's hormones.

Avis (evil tutor) is the most interesting, and one of the better mentor figures I've come across lately. Lots of possibilities with him.

On the whole, I enjoyed the story, it flowed well, the characters were pretty well written, if I had any major complaint it would be the dialogue, it felt a little unnatural, though I think that was partly due to the narration.

There is some sexual content, not explicit, but it was kind of weirdly done. I wouldn't recommend this to younger children.

The quality is not bad, though there is a little bit of a wet sound to the narration. Maybe an EQ or recording issue.

Kyle Wright is a good reader, he's clear, and easy to understand. His voice is a little too sympathetic for my taste (if that makes sense), but I would listen to him again.

Where does Sparks rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The gorgeous cover called to me so I decided to pick up a ecopy of this book. I couldn't get the cover or synopsis out of my head so I also upgraded by ecopy to an audible book and picked up the paperback. I had quite the different experience when reading it. My Kindle died so I started on the paperback. Once nightfall came around I picked up the Kindle copy and started to read. When morning came I decided to listen to rest of the book while I cleaned the house. I loved every page and word of this book. I was fascinated with the world McCoy made. The characters were flawless and the narration was sultry. My favorite character was Lark. I liked being in his head. He was the perfect point of view. I thought he was brooding and funny. I laughed so hard when he was thinking about girls. My favorite moment was when Avis was teaching Lark about girls. It made me laugh and it was such a tender moment between the two. I really enjoyed this book. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

For a first attempt at writing and publishing R. S. McCoy I believe has nailed it. Great introduction to characters and descriptions of the atmosphere and the structure overall was great. I read the book some time ago when she first released it on Amazon and really enjoyed it so I decided to look for audiobook. This story was about two young kids taken to a school for gifted to be trained and educated so they can fulfill the desires of two people drunk on power. But as most teens do they eventually rebel and go against the wishes of those with the power. Unfortunately the first book is all that has been put in audio format. There were a few minor issues I think with the audiobook, first you can here what sounds like a metallic noise in the back ground. This wasn't enough to keep me from listening though. Second, there was an issue it seems at the beginning of each chapter the first few words somehow get repeated. Overall very well done and enjoyable story.