Lightlark

Pre-Reading Updates:

my friends' reviews are telling me i'm going to hate this and i should listen to them (but i never do and always end up regretting it cough cough zodiac academy)... but i'm so curious and i know i'm probably going to make myself mad lmao

The way the author hypes this book on tiktok this better be the next hunger games..

really enjoyed this book, looking forward to the other books in this series. What a cliffhanger at the end! Loved the story, characters, and of course the love between the characters. The only thing bad for me was that it was a bit too fast-paced. Team Oro![a:Alex Aster 18630009 Alex Aster https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1569280233p2/18630009.jpg]![b:Lightlark 60310757 Lightlark (Lightlark, #1) Alex Aster https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1647950042l/60310757.SY75.jpg 91614404]

This book had so much promise but ultimately was a big disappointment. The premise was ultimately a let down in the unclear and confusing stakes of the Centennial, which was often described as a contest or game but never actually manifested any competition or challenges. The world building was thoughtful and creative at turns but also jumbled and inconsistent. The author never seemed to be able to say what type of world it was: making it feel quite traditionally fantasy (ie medieval-y with castles and gowns) but also featuring many modern facets that were glaringly out of place (sweatpants?). It was clear that she thinks she was building a SJM inspired world when it was actually in better company with the likes of Stephanie Garber or Holly Black. Even the twist ending was mishandled and confusing.

Ultimately I wanted this to be better than it is and was let down by the authors clumsy handling of a pretty good set of ideas.

One thing I will note is that I had the privilege of reading this on audiobook and the narrator's skill and dynamic performance is ultimately what kept me from dnf-ing this book.

First 5-Star Read of 2025

This is my fourth book of the year, and wow—what a game-changer. Lightlark by Alex Aster is officially my first 5-star read of 2025, and I am utterly blown away. Thank you, Audible Plus catalog, for introducing me to this incredible story! I can’t believe it took me so long to pick it up, especially since my nephew read it first. Now that I have, I’ve already bought the second book because I NEED more of this world.

Set in a vivid and dangerous world, Lightlark follows Isla Crown, the ruler of Wildling, as she competes in the deadly Centennial—a series of trials designed to break curses that plague the rulers of the six realms. These trials are brutal, full of secrets and betrayals, and Isla’s survival hinges on her ability to outwit her rivals while protecting her heart. Along the way, she grapples with trust, loyalty, and the weight of her destiny. The stakes are sky-high, and every twist left me breathless.

Alex Aster’s writing is dark, poetic, and absolutely immersive. Her world-building is rich and layered, and I loved how the details of this magical universe unfolded naturally, without overwhelming info-dumps. Lightlark felt like a fresh take on YA Fantasy, reminiscent of The Hunger Games with its high-stakes competition, but entirely original in its execution.

I also have to commend the audiobook narration by Suzy Jackson. Her voice is soothing and dynamic, perfectly capturing the story’s emotional depth. While I wished the male voices were a bit deeper, it didn’t detract from the overall experience.

This book captivated me from start to finish. The characters, the tension, the twists—I can’t stop thinking about it. If you’re looking for a story that will completely sweep you away, Lightlark is a must-read. And trust me, you’ll want to have the sequel ready because once you finish, you won’t want to leave this world.

2025 is off to an amazing start, and I’m so excited to see what’s next for Isla and this unforgettable series!

I really enjoyed this, can't wait to start the next book. I loved the twisty ending.

Final rating: 3.5 stars ✨

3.75 Stars

Very slow in the middle of the book, felt like a lot of telling over showing. Good twists at the end. Unsure if I'll continue the series

At first, I was skeptical because for some reason I've seen A LOT of bad reviews on social media about this book... But I actually enjoyed it a lot and got hooked. Especially after reading Nightbane, I reread all of Lightlark again lol I think it's because I LOVE stories that have a completely different meaning after finding certain details / plot twists out. Kinda like the movie Arrival is a new story when you watch it a second time because of what you now know from watching the ending. What you thought was happening is actually completely different. Lightlark has a plot twist at the end, but Nightbane has an even bigger plot twist that impacts how I viewed certain characters and relationships in Lightlark. I love it.

I like the Hunger games style vibe it carried. It was interesting to keep up with the characters and be in that world. I did get confused in a few places on what was going on but at the end of the book it all worked itself out paying close attention in the beginning I was able to see that the friend was going to double-cross someone or wasn't entirely the good guy.

eh so eh. the audio book was so much better than reading it physically. I feel like I already forgot everything and I just stopped reading it? so forgettable but the worst thing I've ever read? nah. how is this a series? I will never find out but who knows.

3.25 stars

oh she COOKED.

ngl book was a fucking snoozefest until 60% in. started to ramp up after that and honestly the last 10% saved this book. if not for that ending, this would've been 2 stars. and even now i'm being generous with the 3.5 bc the book is so fresh. writing was garbage but i had fun halfway through.

CONFLICTED BETWEEN GRIM AND ORO. I NEED GRIM TO GROVEL IN BOOK 2 PLEASE.

Loved the concept and her writing, but there were too many predictable moments in the book and a lot of tropes.

Was very excited about this book when I 1st found out about it. However, reading it it felt somewhat slow. I had parts that were really interesting & the pages flew by & then I other parts that were agonizing to read. Still love the concept regarding the battle/competition & powers but the way it was written could've been done better. I cannot stand Isla (FL/ main character) during many parts of the book.

4,5/5⭐️
Echt een uniek verhaal, zoiets heb ik nog niet gelezen. Leuke karakters en een vlot verhaal.
De plottwist

Overall plot made no sense but I enjoyed the end of the book enough to read the next one

4.5!!!! THAT ENDING, WHAT?!?

9/25/24: updated my rating to 5 stars because i genuinely think about this book everyday

Audio read by: Suzy Jackson

1.5 ⭐️
i will say it wasnt as bad as i thought it was going to be but tiktok hypes this up WAY too much. it was not amazing. wasnt even great! not even sure i could say it was good. so many parts of this felt like stolen portions of different media that was then all mashed together. a main character in a book about an island and rulers named isla crown..are you serious? and apparently she pronounces it eye-sla....girl.

alex threw SO many plot twists in towards the end it was just confusing and frustratingly hard to keep up with. Not to mention the fact that it felt like it got fairly rushed toward the end. we spent how long reading about days 1-50 and then all of a sudden the days just started flying by. not that i wanted this train wreck to go on any longer. it was actually quite boring and then everything started happening at once. it feels like she just tried to throw every trope she could think about into this book.

i love our one gay character who lost the person he loved and is sad. don't you just love when a gay character is thrown in for the purpose of suffering? i mean why make him gay at that rate, just so you can shout diversity? lets not forget i believe he also happens to be the one poc character in a book where the author claimed diversity.

the names of the realms..wildLING, sunLING, starLING, moonLING, skyLING...oh and nightshade. have some originality i beg.

and lets also discuss the fact that the main character is what like around 20? and of course both love interests are over 500 years old. of course! she has no chemistry with either of them. the one she supposedly had chemistry with erased her memory yet she still fell in love with him out of nowhere. and oro..they have NO chemistry at all. literally he saves her a few times, she saves him. boom they're in love?? okayy. whatever you say babe.

alex can go on and on about how shes a new york times bestselling author and has a movie deal all she wants but that means nothing when your book is just awful.

i also just feel like a lot of stuff about this damn island makes no sense but whatever.

i originally was going to read the second one just for the sake of knowing how it continues but now im not even sure i want to put myself through that.

OH MY GOD! I am in love with this book! The world building and character development was beautiful. The twist and challenges throughout were so good. The ending had me gasping. Like wtf. She has KNOWN Grim for an entire year and she does remember because he removed her memories because Celeste, aka Aurora, suggested it was best for her. Also Celeste that back stabbing bitch she deserved to die. And Oro sweet never told a lie Oro

This fantastical YA novel has it all—magic, fighting, love, treachery—a little like “The Princess Bride” and “Hunger Games” combined. It was a fun, easy read with some unexpected twists and turns. Highly recommend if someone’s in the mood to suspend reality.

This was not near as bad as people had suggested, it wasn't a one star read nor was it a 5 star read. To me, it was about 3 stars. It was interesting enough to keep my attention but it was certainly very far from being a favourite of mine.

I completely understand why she couldn't end up with Grim but the thing that makes zero sense is why she HAD to end up with Oro. It was unwarranted and will cause many more issues in the future. Isla couldn't even kiss Oro without thinking about Grim, she hears Grim in her sleep and thinks about what he has said to her.

Everything Grim did was terribly selfish but he was also brainwashed by Aurora while being blinded by his love for Isla. I feel bad for him because of this but that doesn't excuse him not talking everything through with Isla before going through with his plan. Isla understood why he did what he did and still condemned him.

Oro is a pain, don't like the guy. To me he is just a grumpy 500 year old whose whole existence included searching for a damned flower. Him falling in love with Isla made zero sense. There was no chemistry between them and most of their conversations were superficial. He knew she was lying to him yet still somehow “liked” her. Then there's the fact that she told him she was powerless, I bet that made him over the moon for who knows what reason.

Like Oro compared to Grim in terms of their love for Isla, none made sense mostly because we don't know much about Isla and Grims past. But it makes sense much more than with Oro. If I could say anything about it, it would have been that Grim was totally accepting of Isla's lack of power probably mostly because she was part Nightshade, even powerless. He loved her enough to goade her into beating him, to protect her, and to make sure she knew nothing was wrong with being powerless at all. And in that case their love makes sense, it was likely built on equality and mutual respect while Isla constantly knew she was lesser than Oro in practically everything. She may have lacked power but I'm almost 100% certain that Grim didn't care about that because of her physical strength.

This did not go where I was expecting it to?

There is so much to love about this book! The only reason it's 4 an not 5 stars is the romance elements felt forced to me like could be placement but the relationships didn't hit as hard as something was missing in the development of the characters relationships. Plot A plus plus

If you have you ever thought, “Man, I wish the Hunger Games was ridiculous and took place in a poorly-defined world of unexplained supernatural beings,” then this book is for you! I saw it in a Walmart at the beach, if that tells you anything.

Age range: 14-16
Too much romance for younger readers. Too much romance for older readers. Also, the quality of writing might be a deterrent for the latter.