Lightlark (The Lightlark Saga Book 1) (Volume 1)

i want to begin this review by stating that many (not all) of the negative reviews i have seen are either from people who have not even finished the book, or people who were simply review-bombing it. putting everything aside that you may have heard or seen about it, i really enjoyed this book. yes, there were things that could've been better, such as the world-building and dialogue variety for the characters. however, this is the case with many books, which usually improves the more a writer writes over time. if i'm being honest, i did not have an issue with the slight lack of descriptors for characters' looks because tbh, the story matters more than what a character may look like. isla crown, our protagonist, has a lot of issues to overcome. she's a very strong character, but struggles with knowing who to trust, and who to avoid. as the rulers are pitted against one another to try and solve the riddle to break the curses, she grows into a person who is able to find herself and overcome her challenges. she's very smart, but tends to fall short most of the time and seem as if she is the opposite. it's okay isla, i still love you!! she must learn to form alliances, and avoid the discovery of her biggest secret. the story of Lightlark and the Centennial kept me turning page after page, always wanting to find out what the next twist will be. and i definitely was impressed and captivated by everything i read. *spoilers incoming* isla was born powerless, or so she thought... THE PLOT TWISTS!! absolutely amazing. alex aster really knows how to keep you on your toes throughout the story. i could never see some of the twists coming, and that made this book all the more worth the read to me. i think the biggest twist of all would have to be grim's "betrayal." let's talk about the love interests for a moment: typically, i am a huge hater of love triangles, BUT, this book really does it well. love interest #1: oro. oro is the King of Lightlark, and angry fellow who simply needs his walls broken down and to find someone who loves him for the person that he is. a ruler capable of anything and everything who must put on a brave and powerful face in public. he has many cute moments with isla, and she ultimately chooses him at the end of this book (which following the plot twists, makes sense.) oro is a character who you hate at the beginning, and gradually grows on you as the story progresses. love interest #2: grim. grimshaw, ruler of nightshade is full of mystery. he almost had a "relationship" with isla, but it fell through the cracks once she found out he had wiped her memories of them together prior to the Centennial. he wields shadows (my fav type of character), and will do anything to protect isla, and win her heart again. i cannot choose who i would rather she end up with, both are written really well so i wouldn't be angry regardless. grim has been my favorite throughout the book though, so i'm rooting for him in Nightbane (book #2). for what it was, this book really was an interesting and entertaining read. i think a lot of the times, people forget it's YA, and even the part that is not is something that has happened in other YA books too. YA doesn't necessarily equal no explicit content of any kind. i'm definitely excited to read Nightbane in November to continue isla's story!! <3

I’m being generous with 4 stars, because I completely agree with the reviews regarding the writing format and sentence structures, as well as the redundancy in descriptions. However, this is a young adults book so the writing format correlates with the audience intended. The world building is simple and straightforward, making the book an easy read which I finished in about 3 days. The characters lacked development and depth, while some of the plot twists were extremely predictable. That being said, I think the book will make a fantastic movie, and quality fantasy movies are far and few these days. I read the book with very little expectations and did find myself drawn to the created world including the problems that the main character was facing throughout the story. I wished there was a bit more action and less drama but that is a personal preference. I liked the book enough to give the characters a second chance at making bolder choices by buying the next edition. Overall, if you are looking for a light, fun read, with adolescent struggles that can remind you of your naive youth, then I would recommend this book to you.

"A few conversations with you and I was ready to make the most disadvantageous trade. All of me in exchange for any part of you you'd be willing to spare." I've been sitting here wondering how I am going to write this review to do this debut novel justice. And I feel I just need to dive in... First off thank you NetGalley and RB Media for honoring me with an Audiobook ARC. I am forever grateful. Isla Crown (our FMC)- Strong, resilient, stubborn, beautiful, smart, cunning, loving, adventurous, witty, loyal, trusting, and a little naive sometimes.. ruler of Wildling. You are forever printed onto my heart. She is a female character that is a part of my soul now. I connected with her on so many levels. She will be a part of my personality FOREVER and I guarantee it will be the same for you when you read. Oro (our first MMC)- insufferable, loyal, leader, strong, wise, powerful, non-trusting, distant, gorgeous, golden ruler of Lightlark and Sunling!!!! Let me tell you I'm such a SIMP for this man. He has me in a chokehold, respectfully, and I'm glad to be there. His character development was sheer perfection throughout the book. Grimshaw aka Grim (our second MMC)- morally grey, dark haired, powerful, snarky, flirty, broody, strong, and cunning ruler of Nightshade! He is another character I am absolutely obsessed with. His character is so complex and I couldn't get enough of him. The side characters were very much needed to the story. Even when they infuriated and upset me so much. They just made everything click into place. Alex is a pure goddess with her writing in Lightlark. It is a dark YA Fantasy, and when I mean YA it's because Isla and a few other characters are younger.. the remainder of the characters are not. Lightlark is reminiscent of The Hunger Games; but again not really the only reason they are alike is because of the games and trials. But all of Alex's ideas are original. I've never read a novel like this. It is beautiful and poetic. There is no information dumping which is a huge plus. Because so many fantasy novels do this. Everything came out organically and what can I say Lightlark is a MASTERPIECE. I literally don't want to say anymore because I don't want to spoil anything. I want you to read and feel and discover everything I did. Please, just go read it and be lost to this world like I am. Suzy Jackson narrated the book. She was so soothing and calming. And the inflection her voice would go up at the right times. The guys voice I wish was a little deeper but it doesn't deter you from listening. What To Expect: •YA Dark Fantasy •Adventure •Forced Proximity •Love •Romantic Tension (the spice was very much what you would expect for YA and it was perfect to be honest) •Betrayal •Found Family •Loss •Who Did This To You!?! (Which is one of the GOAT tropes we all know it) •Heartbreak •Morally grey dark hair character •LGBTQ+ Representation •Banter •Magic •Curses •Lies and Liars Everywhere 😉 Again to reiterate this book is a masterpiece and it must be read by the world. This story deserved to be told and I am so thankful Alex told it. It has made my life richer!!!!

*Contains Spoilers* I want to give this 4 stars just for the world created in this book alone. However, I can't. If a book makes me consider DNFing at least 3 times, I can only give it 3 stars. This series could have possibly been on the same level as ACOTAR in terms of a fantastic new fantasy world and romance. But the writing left much (and I do mean much) to be desired. The heroine is indecisive, quick to jump to conclusions, and annoying. Grim, at times, gave me Edward Cullen vibes. So, blegh. Oro was honestly one of the only well written characters in this series. Characters seemed to just fade into the background while things were going on. There were times that, in the book, Grim would just disappear without any explanation or even a thought from the heroine about his whereabouts for days on end despite them being in a "relationship" of some sort. There were quite a few scenes that made me cringe at the sheer cliche of it. Don't even get me started on how Isla can't seem to keep her mouth shut. About anything. The characters constantly keeping her in the dark about, well, everything, was super frustrating, but - this girl can't keep a secret to save her life. Literally. She thought her opening her mouth and directly questioning characters on things others have told her (while NAMING THEM as the info givers) made her this confident, powerful female. Ugh, kill me now. It wouldn't have been so bad if she hadn't constantly name dropped. Things just seemed to fall into place without much effort or struggle. It was all very rushed. Honestly, i'm just super disappointed. The concept this author imagined is great and made me really excited for this book. But it ended up flopping due to bad writing. It reads more like something i'd find on Wattpad 14 years ago - decent, but not great.

✨ THE LIGHTLARK SERIES ✨ ~ ALEX ASTER @alexaster (Lightlark, Nightbane, Skyshade, Crowntide, & ORO/GRIM POV) literally 5 stars plus romantasy series (4 stars book 1, 5 for book 2, 5+ book 3!!)! New favorite! Buddy reading this one with @misscharlottejo and it has absolutely enthralled and crushed us simultaneously!!! Such a well written magical, heart shattering, butterfly inducing swooning, tragic, gripping, sucks you in and you can't stop won't stop dystopian read. You really fall hard for these characters and get emotionally attached! You cry, scream, gush all of it! Best read of the year for me!! #dystopian #bookish #lightlarkseries #romantasy #dark #light #lovetriangle #oro #grom #isla #nightshade #sunling #wildling #starling #skyling #centennial #magic #power #buddyreading #fivestars #AlexAster #fantasy #romance

Oh my god this is the best fantasy book I’ve read in 15 years. Wonderful imagery, character development and dynamics, and the story line is just absolutely to die for. If you’re looking for something new, fresh, surprising, and endearing PLS give this a read

First off, I am a sucker for a nicely embossed book beneath the book sleeve lol As for the contents of the book itself, I finished this book in 4 days!!! 400 or so pages lol I absolutely LOVED the book! I couldn’t put it down! It had a lot less romance than I expected but the parts that did really drew me in & it gave me an opportunity to get really invested in the Centennial and all of the different alliances and enemies and secrets being revealed throughout the game! Alex Aster emulated love, lust, fear, pain, and betrayal so vividly I felt every word as if I was living it myself! She didn’t skimp on the good stuff for the sake of romance which I liked! And it kept me looking forward to the reappearance of the love interest lol The book’s ending was so unexpected but, as much as I was hoping for a different outcome, I actually didn’t dislike the outcome at all and found that I actually agreed with it even though it wasn’t what I expected and I felt extremely satisfied with how the story wrapped up!!! I felt happy for Isla but heartbroken for other characters. It was a strange conflict of emotions but left lots of opportunities for new developments in the following book that already seem like they will be amazing story lines to follow this one!!! Lots of opportunities for revenge, love, maybe even more unexpected twists in the plot! I found myself dreaming of what could follow the story last night after finishing the book, so if that says anything about my feelings on it, it’s a positive message! It left me wanting more without leaving me frustrated and unsatisfied without another book to read immediately like so many authors rely on. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and am actually about to start it from the beginning to reread it knowing what happens at the end to see how my perspective on it changes lol I’m just not ready to leave the story for a new book series yet and I genuinely feel like it will leave me with a completely different perspective on the story!!! As for the drama surrounding the author, I am extremely tired of living in a culture where people are judging books based on the author’s history. Her upbringing, her business history, her family supposedly being well-off, etc has absolutely nothing to do with her ability as a writer! People need to stop leaving negative reviews of books they have not read to ruin authors that they think had a better opportunity than they do. The book is GOOD! Enjoy it for what it is and leave the author’s privileges or lack thereof out of it! I didn’t know any of this drama was happening before reading the book and frankly I am glad because I was able to enjoy the story without the internet interjecting it’s unnecessary and, in my opinion, petty and incorrect opinions on the book I have come to love so much!!! I can’t wait for the second book to be released! And I hope no one here misses out on this story because of a few petty reviewers on Goodreads that are taking opinions from tiktok and running with them. Give the book a try and see for yourself that it is a well-written and captivating story that will leave you looking forward to future releases! 😊

Lightlark introduces a high-stakes fantasy where every hundred years, six cursed rulers gather on a hidden island to compete in the deadly Centennial. The prize? A chance to break their realms' cruel curses—if one of them dies. The story centers around Isla Crown, ruler of the Wildling realm, whose people are cursed to kill anyone they love. She enters the Centennial with a heavy burden and must navigate lies, betrayal, and two complicated romantic entanglements. While the concept is rich with potential, the execution feels uneven. The pacing drags, with abrupt time jumps that break immersion, and the world-building—while intriguing—is too briefly explored to feel grounded. Most characters lack depth beyond Isla, making their relationships and motivations fall flat. The romantic subplot feels underdeveloped, and the betrayal twist is unfortunately predictable. Still, Alex Aster’s writing has a flair for drama and tension, and the premise is strong enough to keep readers engaged. Lightlark is a flawed but entertaining fantasy with room for growth in its sequels.

Er zat een deuk in de rug van mijn boek, maar hij is prachtig

"Lightlark" mi ha sorpreso in positivo! La storia è davvero affascinante, con una trama che ti tiene incollato dalla prima all'ultima pagina. L'ambientazione magica dell'isola è ben costruita, e i personaggi, sebbene inizialmente sembrino stereotipati, diventano via via più complessi e interessanti. Mi è piaciuto il mix di mistero e azione, anche se alcune scelte della protagonista mi hanno lasciato un po' perplesso. Comunque, è un libro che mi ha coinvolto e che consiglio a chi cerca un fantasy avvincente e ricco di colpi di scena.

LightLark is the first book in the LightLark series by Alex Aster, and it is an utterly addictive YA fantasy read. Delving into this book I was not sure what to expect. I was recommended it by a friend, and their enthusiasm was contagious and I had to see what it was like for myself. I love fantasy and dystopian fiction, and therefore, this book felt like a natural fit for me. Isla is a Wildling, born to be the candidate for her realm in the Centennial. She has been trained and born to have a specific goal, but feeling trapped, Isla and her friend think up their own plan for the centennial in order to be triumphant. In this book, there are so many incredible characters. The descriptions allow you to picture all of them and their realms and abilities as if they were in front of you, and I found an utterly addictive fictional world to be immersed in. Isla as a main character is one you can connect with, she is the underdog in the centennial, and also as a reader you are learning about everything through her eyes. This felt like a cleverly plotted and thought out book. The pacing was fast, everything written served a purpose, and it made for an easy and enjoyable read. I also think I’m a little in love with the bad guy. Grim is totally and utterly otherworldly and absolutely dashing. The tension between him and Isla had me hooked from the start. Every time you think you know how the book may end, or what may happen, something tips it on its head and makes you need to re/think and start again. It was exciting and incredibly addictive. I had fun trying to work out what I felt the plot twists were going to be, and some I absolutely did not expect. I’d recommend to all who love fantasy series, books like the hunger games and the selection etc. It is a Young Adult book, so perfect for those older teens, as it does not use sex to sell the plot. I cannot wait to delve right on into book two!

A unique interesting and rich YA fantasy series. This is a great first book in a really good series which just gets better with each book. This one sets up the rich and complex fantasy world and introduces our main characters. I loved that this book has a love triangle as I don't see that done very often. Book 2 is my absolutely favorite and had one of the best endings in a book I've read in a long time.

Book that ws the most unexpected but most beloved read of last year. i would recommend