Review: Shield (Spark #3) by Rachael Craw

Shield by Rachael Craw

Released:1st September 2016

Published by: Walker Books Australia

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Source: Publisher

Pages: 429

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads | QBD | Booktopia

Evie is out of options. She must comply with the Affinity Project – obey their rules, play their deadly games, give up Jamie. And her losses keep growing. When she decides to help a small group of Shields trying to affect change, Evie finds herself in the firing line.

Counsellor Knox is intent on revealing her secrets and shackling her to the Affinity Project for life. To protect her family, Evie must betray those closest to her.

The odds of success – let alone survival – are slim. The final thrilling conclusion to the Spark series.

Thank you to Walker Books Australia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 

Rachael Craw sure knows how to end a series with a bang! There's a bittersweet feeling which came with turning the final pages of this book, but I was left as impressed as I have been since the trilogy began.

In this high-octane page-turner, Evie is once again up against the Affinity Project, and in closer proximity than ever before. With the introduction of some new faces, and the duplicitous nature of some characters becoming known, a twist is never too far away. She once again demonstrates a strength and ability to seriously kick-butt, but a sensitivity to the delicate, and seemingly futile situation of her fate. There are moral dilemmas to face, more lives at stake, and of course - opportunities to blow things up. Action, emotions and family loyalty are all on the line, executed on a knife-edge with the skill one has come to expect from Rachael Craw.

When it comes to Evie's issues with Affinity, Jamie isn't too far behind. The pair in this installment have more tension between them than ever before. Their bond is clearly electric, modeled into their DNA. Yet of course, nothing is that easy to attain in this world where your destiny is instilled in your blood, with the constant threat of exploitation. If you want to see more of Jamie, it definitely helped to read the novella 'Scar Tissue' before reading this book. Family ties are also tested, with an even greater intensity. How far would you go to save the people you love? What is the ultimate sacrifice? Craw explores these themes in ways which make your heart race, always in anticipation for the next bombshell to hit. Top tip: Have tissues ready.

FINAL THOUGHTS

What a journey it's been! I still remember first receiving SPARK in the mail 2 years ago, and though it definitely had the potential to be a great read just from looking at the blurb, little did I know how much I would come to love the series and want to support it so much. 

As an author, Rachael Craw is a class act; creating storylines with immense suspense, action-packed scenes and sentences which evoke every human emotion. Her characters have so much depth, and you can't help but be drawn into their complex web of dilemmas, following their paths with bated breath. It's the end of an era for the #SparkArmy, but I can't wait to read what she has in store for us next!