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

This book had been on my TBR for a while and I am so glad I finally was able to read it.The world and magic system of Lightlark was so captivating! I enjoyed learning about all the different rulers and their curses. And I thought the concept of the storyline was very unique.There were tons of twists and turns throughout the book that I was not expecting as well and the fact I never could really anticipate what was going to happen next kept the book very interesting. And the ending was VERY surprising. I was not expecting it to play out like it did!!I really loved Isla’s character. She was strong, witty, sarcastic and I was able to really picture her well as I was reading the book. I also really enjoyed both Grim and Oro’s characters. I feel like they each had very different relationships with Isla and I am interested to see how both of their relationships with her develop in Nightbane; which I am looking forward to reading soon!

I couldn't put Lightlark by Alex Aster down! This book is everything a fantasy lover could want – a magical island, high-stakes games, intriguing characters, and plenty of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat.The world-building is phenomenal. The island of Lightlark is divided into six realms, each with its own unique magic and rulers, and Aster does an amazing job of immersing you in these different environments. I loved how each realm had its own vibe, and the world felt rich and fully realized.Isla, the main character, is one you can't help but root for. She's complex, determined, and her journey to break her curse is filled with tough choices and sacrifices. The emotional depth of her story had me invested from start to finish. Plus, the stakes of the Centennial Games make every page feel intense and exciting.There were moments that felt a little slow, especially with all the world-building at the beginning, but it was totally worth it to get the full picture of Lightlark. And while some plot twists were predictable, I still found myself hooked by the drama and suspense.If you enjoy books with magical competitions, dark secrets, and strong-willed characters, Lightlark is definitely worth the read. I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series! Highly recommend to fans of The Hunger Games and The Selection!

The story was fun.. there are definitely plot twists I didn’t see coming but I had to look up character fan art to get an idea of what the characters looked like.. mostly in regards to Isla.. I felt like I was halfway through the book before I found out she was a brunette. I imagined her with flaming red hair for some reason. This is definitely a slow build romance and minimal spice.. there is one scene that I wouldn’t feel comfortable letting a preteen read (it’s a descriptive intimate scene where two characters don’t go all the way but there is touching) for that reason I’ll give parents a heads up..I wouldn’t let a preteen read this book. I am not sure if this book was over hyped through social media for me but it was just okay. I enjoyed the story line.. I enjoyed some of the characters. I wish there were more trials. I felt Isla got through the trials way to easily without revealing her secret. I also was wishing that she had figured out “the key” way sooner. I’m not saying it’s a bad read I just think some people over hyped it and expectations were so high. That being said I’ll give the second book a chance. I didn’t hate this book, I definitely see the potential.

I loved this book so much, I couldn't stop reading!! Alex's writing style makes you fall in love with the characters. The story leaves you wanting more!!