This was a heart-wrenching read. This coming of age story set in Queens in 1965, follows little thirteen year old Gia. A story that begins slow, but about midway a series of bad events begin to unfold, one after another. Just when you think it couldn’t get worse for her, it does. In a time when women were meant to behave like ladies, wear dresses and look pretty, Gia wants to take out her dad’s boat, wear shorts and go swimming. She feels like she doesn’t belong, and boy do you see it.
I didn’t really care about any of the other characters, but personally I think that our connection to Gia made up for it. When I think of this little thirteen year old hurting, her bleak outlook on life and her disappearing relationships with everyone around her, all I wanted to do was hug her and cry.
I would say that drug use is the biggest theme in this book: seeing what it can do to a family, to an individual. Poor little Gia sees it first-hand when it takes hold of her fifteen year old brother. It’s an incredibly emotional read and seeing it all through Gia’s eyes makes it all the more real.
I loved many things about this book: it is powerfully written, the character of Gia and her craving for love and attention and to feel worthy, and the story which although started slow, picked up and took me on this emotional ride. Even the mention of her Nonna which made me think back to growing up with mine (we lived with ours, too. I also haven’t heard the word “malocchio” in years!) All of this made for a great read.
The only thing that confused me a little to begin with was that Gia’s Aunts and Uncles are referred to as “Aunt Diane” and Uncle Frank”, but her parents are not called mum or dad, instead they are referred to by their first names.
I loved this book. If it weren’t for the slow start, I would have easily given it five stars. I think anyone who enjoys a very emotional, heart-wrenching read should read this book.

It is the 1960s and 13 year old Gia's main problem is not wanting to behave like a dutiful daughter and young lady. She wants to wear pants and explore the marsh. Sadly, these issues become overshadowed by her brother's drug addiction. I loved the large Italian family all living near each other and weaving throughout each other's lives, for good or bad. I loved how Gia viewed the world around her and tried to create a new space for herself while still meeting her parent's expectations. Ms. Fields did an amazing job of combining the simple family life that everyone was trying to preserve with gentrification, the infiltration of drugs, and Gia's independent spirit. I will say that I almost wish the book had stopped at the 90% point. I think I would have been happier not knowing some of the ending, for good or bad. That is the sign of a well written story, all the way to the end.

This is a coming of age book about Gia- a 13-year-old tomboy growing up in Queens in 1965. Gia is expected to act like a lady but all she wants is to be in their boat in the canal and stay away from all the chemicals effecting their lives. The neighborhood is surrounded by family where all the kids have grown up together. Ray, one of the older cousins brings drugs into the neighborhood and Gia's brother Leo gets caught up in this family nightmare that changes the lives of so many. Caught in the middle of this, Gia goes to great lengths to help "fix" her brother. This really was a difficult book to read as there is so much family heartbreak. I think the author did a really great job showing this era where drugs were prevalent.

A Frenzy of Sparks is a coming-of-age story set in Queens, NY, in the 1960s. The protagonist is Gia, a 13-year old budding environmentalist (thanks to Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring), who desperately wants to be treated equally to her brother Leo, and not “like a girl.” When drugs infiltrate her neighborhood, pulling her addicted brother and dealer cousins apart from her world, she realizes the consequences of maturing past the perceived safety of childhood.

This novel reminded me of “Where the Crawdads Sing.” Gia is a highly intelligent and capable girl for whom naivety is a significant obstacle. Readers will be in the position of often knowing more than Gia, although the novel is told from her 13-year old perspective. In some ways, the novel reads like one for middle grade readers but with themes reserved for adult audiences.

The novel starts somewhat slow, picking up around the halfway mark. It is well-written with mostly well-developed characters. However, because the novel is from Gia’s perspective, the reader cannot get a full picture of all of the characters. There is one particularly poignant moment in which Gia remembers an earlier event with her brother from before the novel’s start. I found myself wanting some more of these moments to understand the characters better, especially Leo and Gia’s extended family. It makes me wonder what Fields could do with a novel with a more omniscient narrator because some of the beauty of her prose seemed to be limited by the age of the narrator.

I think above all, the novel felt that it had something missing, even though the pieces were there for it to be brilliant. It may have been that Gia has no real aim in the story, and responded mostly to things happening around her. There is a sense of, what would Gia be doing if everything else wasn’t happening in the novel? She also has no connections beyond her family, which raises some questions about her social development. Lastly, I potentially would have chosen “Sister Island” as the title of the novel.

Overall, I enjoyed this read. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC!

I truly enjoyed this story. Set in Queens, New York in 1965, we see how events over one year influence the Martino family. I felt for Gia and her family and wanted to help them. I appreciated how the extended family lived close together. The fact that they all lived close by added to the story for me.

A "Frenzy of Sparks" has been categorized as Women's Fiction for some reason. Usually, I avoid Women's Fic like the plague, finding it too shallow, breezy and focused on finding, lusting after, or chasing a man/love.

Thankfully, "A Frenzy of Sparks" has compassion, love and nuance. The story centers around a young girl in her early teen years. Yes, we have a coming of age story here, but this is no Judy Blume level reckoning. There is a depth to the heroine Gia, who yearns to be noticed, and sees many things that the adults around her cannot. Gia's hopes and dreams are expressed, against a backdrop of the mid nineteen sixties. I found the characters to be fleshed out and believable. .There are a couple of anachronisms here, but they do not detract from the story.

Overall, I found this story beautifully done, well written and haunting. I'll be keeping this book on my Kindle to read again.

Very interesting coming of age story set in Queens, NY in 1965. 13 year old Gia is the main character. Gia is dealing with many issues, questionable parenting, drugs. Good period piece, which was very successful at transporting me to that time and place. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Solid Coming Of Age During The Dawn Of The War On Drugs. As a coming of age tale set in the mid 60s, this evokes feelings of The Outsiders, Dirty Dancing, and My Girl - all phenomenal works. The use of a 13yo girl as the primary character is an interesting perspective that really allows Fields to tell a tale in a newish way even as she deals with things that most anyone who knows anything about that period at all is aware of on multiple levels. Truly a great story, and one that several of Fields' fellow Lake Union authors have appropriately lauded in words far more poetic than anything I'll be able to create, even in a review. As counterprogramming to the 2020 US Elections - it releases on Election Day 2020 here - it actually provides a truly interesting perspective that all too often gets lost, particularly in this particular Presidential election. And yes, since I am writing this review on August 23 and it releases on November 3, this is indicative that this is in fact an ARC, with all that this entails. But pick this up on release day. Go ahead and preorder it so that you have it on release day. You're going to want a distraction, and this tale is an excellent distraction. Very much recommended.

Set during the 1960s.

I love books that are period pieces. Set in another place and time. When executed right, like A Frenzy of Sparks, you feel transported to that era. Gia is thirteen and from Queens, NY. As anyone else her age, she dreams of being anywhere else. Then her world is completely rocked sideways..

This book was excellent. I felt very connected to the main protagonist, Gia. There was an intensity to this book that I find lacking in other novels.

I'd highly recommend it!

A beautiful emotional coming of age story. 1960's Queens New York is the setting when kids still ran in the streets, played in the creeks and an age when summertime always seemed magical.
Gia must grow up fast in a confusing and intense time when her world starts to unravel. Her determination and grit at a young age will have you rooting for her as she endures and observes drugs, parenting that is questionable and her own world. A magical and emotional read. Very unique and addicting. I loved it.

Queens, 1965. An Italian-American family. Kristin Fields gets this spot on. As a Sicilian-American whose family is from Flushing, this book brought me right back to my Nauna's kitchen and I loved and appreciated it.

Kristin Fields has a gift for storytelling as we follow young teen, Gia, who is struggling with growing up, women's roles and spends time at the marshes and canal by her home. When her cousins start to do drugs, it sets off a series of events that has tragic consequences.

The characters are very well written, the plot is tight and the story moves along as it moves you emotionally.

It's 1965 in Queen's. Gia is worried about chemicals and cancer. I liked that Gia loved rabbits and other animals. Seventeen years old Lorraine is taking nursing classes and seems perfect. Ray brings lsd around the family. I really liked the down to earth characters and dialogue. I thought Ray could be a jerk. I was worried about Lorraine. There was alot of drama

Accurate depiction of coming of age in tumultuous 60s. Sadly, also a reminder that history does often repeat itself without learning a thing!!
Timely and poignant.
A bit predictable, but that seems to be a common trait in YA.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

A Frenzy of Sparks by Kristin Fields is a wonderfully written coming of age story set in 1965.

The story follows Gia who is 13 years old . Her cousin gets caught up in selling drugs with some dangerous connections. Gia's brother's path brings changes to her family as a whole.

At its core, this is a story of addiction, which can be a hard topic to read. The author does a magnificent job of telling the story set in the 60's. But really with addiction, when it comes to family dynamics and supporting someone with an addiction, not much has changed and the story is just as relevant today as it was 40 years ago.

This was an emotional read. The characters are well crafted and written with such heart that though the topic was difficult I loved reading it.

A story not to be missed.

Thank you to Netgalley, Lake Union and Kristin Fields for this advanced readers copy in return for my honest review. Definitely a very emotional book, quite topical and a book that will be very relatable and will hit home for a lot of readers. It's raw and thought provoking.

4-5 stars

Queens in 1965 is a very different place to today but it’s apparent even then that the neighbourhood is changing. This is a coming of age story focusing on the extended family of thirteen year old Gia. Her father Eddie is a cop, mum Agnes is a typist and she has a fifteen year old brother Leo. Gia is drawn to the canal and surrounding marshes where she is often able to leave her troubles behind and feel a sense of renewal. When her cousin Ray brings drugs into the area it unleashed a catastrophic chain of events and for a Gia and her family nothing is the same again.

First of all I know from ‘Lily in the Light’ just how talented Kristin Fields is as an author. This novel is very well written, she has a gift for storytelling that draws you in to the narrative and a beautiful way with words. She captures the changing times and the events that cause concern such as the war in Vietnam, the rising use of drugs and the impact that causes are all depicted with clarity. This is a very powerful novel being poignant in places and shocking in others. I really like that Gia is the sensitive observer of the events around her as she starts out perhaps with a naive view of her world but she has a deep desire for it to be better. She wants a world free of chemicals, the canal and marshes preserved for wildlife but she finds herself witnessing the effects of newly available manufactured drugs such as LSD and does her best to fight it. The stress of addiction and the implosion that it causes on families is conveyed very movingly. I love Gia’s spirit and the desperate lengths she goes to in order to help those around her. Through her eyes we also see the gender roles and she doesn’t want her mothers traditional female role and she will break out of that mould like many others at this time. Not only is the world changing but the events of 1965 change Gia irrevocably. The end is very dramatic and sad although probably not unexpected.

Overall, this pivotal period is depicted really effectively and the changes explored through Gia’s eyes in a novel that is compulsive and compelling reading.

This book is set in a changing Queens, NY in 1960.

It follows the life of a 13 year old girl, Gia. All she wants is the canal and her father's boat to escape the world of drugs that members of her family have been exposed to.

This was quite an emotional book at times, especially as it was through the eyes of such a young girl. But it also highlighted the strength found inside yourself when you need it most.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for ARC to

A heart breaking but also heart warming tale set in the 60s in Queens NYC following a close knit family and their complexities.
Thirteen year old Gia is the main narrator and takes us through her family trials and tribulations through her eyes. I fell in love with her, and felt every bit of what she went through - her inner conflicts, her familial conflicts and her coming of age. I was so glad there was an epilogue catching up with her some time later to see how things progressed for her and her family.
This was a good, solid read and I enjoyed it immensely!

Thank you NetGalley for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

As a huge fan of historical fiction, I will say that the author did a stunning job of painting Queens in the 1960s.

She did a stellar job of creating Gia and I found myself feeling so many things all at once. It’s not often that I say a book is breathtaking but this one is something g special.

Families are rarely simple things and this book shows so many sides of complicated family dynamics- it felt real and raw all the way through. Also, we can all remember being 13. Such a tender age caught between holding onto childhood and being on the cusp of adulthood.

Please do yourself a favor and pick this up!

This story delivers a message of drug awareness in such a touching way. I appreciated the setting of the marshland on NY; it was refreshing and gave me a different perspective of the city during the 60s. It was impossible not to adore the main character, Gia, and the grit she demonstrated at the young age of thirteen. This novel takes a story of childhood innocence and warns how things can snowball to devastating proportions. I also appreciated the references to Darwinism and the intense care that Gia had for living creatures. It made me all the more heartbroken for her when things seems to be falling apart. The fires and dramatic events leading up to the conclusion on the story seemed a little muddled in their description, making it difficult for me to understand exactly what was happening. At times, I wish the story was more explanative; however, I wouldn’t be surprised if the lack of explanation was intentional. The epilogue was heartwarming and provided necessary closure. Overall, this was a beautiful story with an important message. The writing was compelling throughout and I couldn’t put it down.