Rating: 
Summary: Falls Flat
Review: Rubio's title character, who suffers from as-yet undiagnosed Tourette's Syndrome, initially provoked my interest. However, as the pages turned, I soon became bored and, later on, completely underwhelmed. Despite the fanfare, this book never really covers Tourette's Syndrome, its causes, etc. Instead, the reader is treated to rather off-the-cuff (not to mention vaguely nauseating) descriptions of "eye-pops" and "croaks". The characters themselves are completely one-dimensional and there is very little development there. Though the book jacket describes Ms. Emily as Icy's only friend in a friendless town, her grandparents are actually too perfect and dote on Icy in a rather unrealistic fashion (remember, they know nothing of Tourette's - a typical adult would therefore assume, at least at first, that the child was merely acting out). Basically, characters were either very good or very bad. The teacher, unfamiliar with Icy-style behavior, is turned into an abusive dominatrix, while Ms. Emily, forever accepting, is something of a saint. When Icy is placed in the hospital, we see the exact same characters, this time, though, they are named Maizy and (forgot the nasty nurse's name, but you know the one). I agree completely with those who felt that Icy's spiritual awakening was far-fetched. I can't imagine anyone in that book, especially considering the fact that her grandparents and Ms. Emily seemed to regard her with something resembling awe and fear, would force her to a tent revival. Further, any teenager unwillingly dragged to any event will typically do anything possible to make her unhappiness at being there known. Finally, the concept of a young teen who has not been brought up in a strict churching environment voluntarily (based on only an initial contact with religion via a rather dubious "revival") joining Bible studies, becoming a ferverent Christian, etc. is extraordinarily unlikely. I was extremely perturbed when, after struggling to maintain even the slightest interest in Icy's "plight", I found the book and Icy's future summed up in two succinct pages. How did she get into school? How did she finally come across the necessary treatment? What has she learned? And, more importantly, how is the reader expected to believe that, at the age of 20 or 21, Icy is now a fully-qualified, self-aware, tender and understanding therapist? Huh? All in all, this book was a complete waste of my money ...and time. ...
Rating: 
Summary: second half - what a bore!
Review: The first part of the book was very interesting...but, the second half was too boring for me to finish.
Rating: 
Summary: Starts off well, finishes with a fizzle
Review: This was a pleasant, sweet book about Icy Sparks, an endearing young girl with undiagnosed Tourette's syndrome. We read the narrative (written by her looking back as an adult) as she struggles with what her disease does to her life. The writing style is easy to read, although I found myself wishing that the author would have gone a bit deeper into the minds of her characters - I sensed that she had the potential to do so, but didn't for some reason, and I was left unsatisfied. The last 20 or so pages are almost comical. They really seem as if they were written by someone else, and if not for them my rating and impression of the book would be quite a bit higher. Instead of being left with the warm fuzzies that the rest of the nice (if too simplistic) story gave me, I closed the last page, thinking "HUH?!" Overall, I still recommend it as a quick, light read.
Rating:
Summary: Liked it but wouldn't read it again.
Review: I liked the book Icy Sparks but it's not something that I would read again. The story was good but it wasn't very exciting. At a lot of points in the book it really dragged and I had to force my way through it. Though I enjoyed it, it's really not the type of book I'm interested in, which is why I probably didn't like it much. I don't regret reading it though, because I think it taught me a lot about people and how they deal with things that make them different. It also taught me how people use their problems to make them stronger. I can't recommend this book as something I really enjoyed, but it's really not a bad book to read.
Rating: 
Summary: A must read for anyone who's ever felt different
Review: Icy Sparks tracks the life of a bright and curious young girl with Tourette's Syndrome from age ten to adulthood. The protagonist, Icy Sparks, is from the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky. She is raised by her loving grandparents named Matanni and Patanni; an empathic friend named Miss Emily; and a caring school principal named Mr. Wooten. At the age of ten, Icy starts to have uncontrollable urges to pop out her eyes. The urge is "so intense it was, like an itch needing to be scratched. I [Icy] could feel little invisible rubber bands fastened to my eyelids, pulled tight through my brain." Not only did Icy suffer from eye-popping tics, she also suffered from an uncontrollable need to verbally outburst thoughts that were on her mind. Icy tried to hide the fact she suffered from Tourette's Syndrome but it always flared up when Icy felt strong emotions. The town Icy lived in did not understand her disease so she was treated like an outcast. For example, she was forced out of the public school system and had to educate herself in the school's supply room. When her tics and verbal outbursts did not cease in the supply room, Icy was subsequently institutionalized. With all these educational setbacks, Icy does obtain an exceptional home-schooled education with the help of Miss Emily and Mr. Wooten. Even though Icy withdraws from society for fear of being made fun of, Icy learns to accept her disease and, most importantly, accept that she is labeled. However, the biggest lesson Icy learns is that Tourette's Syndrome does not stop her from learning that she can love and be loved.
Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: This was a great book. The author uses an appropriate amount of detail, and keeps you interested until the very end. This is a great book. You won't be disappointed!
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful Book
Review: I loved Icy Sparks - the book and the character. If anyone has ever felt out of place while growing up - you will certainly be able to relate to Icy. I was cheering her on to victory over those who constantly tortured her. I found this book a very fast read and must say I miss Icy now that I have finished the book.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining yet disappointing
Review: Icy Sparks was a great tale until the end, where the main character has an epiphany of sorts..... but I will get to that in a minute. Icy's story is well told and heartwarming and heartbreaking all at once. She begins to tell of why she might "croak" and "jerk", and then the story transistions into how this effects her life as a ten year old. She is very realistically made fun of and treatly meanly by many. However there are others who look past her spells as well. The characters overall were well developed yet stereotypical. Her grandparents were too forgiving and nice. Couldn't they have at least once gotten upset with Icy's behavior? I would have at least understood as to why one may get upset with a 10 year old swearig for what seems to be no apparent reason. And her friend Miss Emily is the proverbial jolly fat person that doesn't seem to be bothered with others views of her. The author tells a wonderful story of her first year at school with her spells. And then it goes down hill. Icy is then thrown through several years quickly in the book, and the end comes with a too quick acceptance of herself. The saving religion thrown in at the end was a bit too much for me to believe. Even in the early 1960's I highly doubt that a teen girl would quickly "convert" to finding grace and acceptance in a spiritual revival that she originally didn't want to be caught dead at. The ending seemed too much like a quick fix for the main character, leaving the reader to wonder why a teen would suddenly just love herself practically overnight? I would recommend this book, just be wary of the ending.
Rating:
Summary: Dragggggggggs On
Review: This book was too slow. The chapters needed to be more inviting, that is, into the life of Icy Sparks. Even though the author does give some good detail into the mind of Icy, it still lacked alot. It took me longer to read this novel then others, it just didn't excite me. The end was a disappointment. The only thing I did enjoy, was the character of Icy's friend, "Miss Emily".
Rating:
Summary: I liked it more than most
Review: I liked this book more than some of the other readers. I'm not going to reveiw the plot because that's been done. True, it was kind of slow-moving, but I was not at all bored with the story. The point wasn't how it ended, but the journey of how she got there. During a time when disorders such as this were virtually unknown and no one knew of a treatment or medication, it's amazing that Icy was able to survive at all. Under normal circumstances, such a person would have been completely ostrasized. I was pleased that she was surrounded by one or two understanding, loving, supportive people who didn't try to force her to be what she wasn't or try to make her control what she couldn't control. I think the lesson here is that love, rather than criticism and discipline, helps us to overcome even the most insurmountable obstacles.
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