Lightlark by Alex Aster
Series: Lightlark #1
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 432
Published By: Amulet Books on 28th September, 2023
Format: Paperback
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Book Synopsis:
Welcome to the Centennial.
Every hundred years, the island of Lightlark appears for only 100 days to host a deadly game, where the rulers of six realms fight to break their curses and win unparalleled power. Each ruler has something to hide. Each curse is uniquely wicked. To break themโand save themselves and their realmsโone ruler must die.
To survive, Isla Crown must lie, cheat, and betray. Even as love complicates everything . . .
Book Review
I’d seen this book all over on social media but I wasn’t sure it was going to be for me. I’d added it to my Amazon Wishlist towards the start of the year and it sat there for ages until April rolled round… I joined a book club on Instagram that were reading this book. I am SO glad I took the plunge and joined because I devoured this book!
There are a lot of mixed opinions surrounding this book, one of the issues being the writing. Everyone has their own opinion on how they like the writing to be in a book… I found this very well written. Yes it’s simple but it is beautiful and I found it easy to follow. I love the fact that the author throws us into the story right from the beginning! Sometimes books can start off boring and slow but this one wasn’t. (Again this is all personal preference). Sometimes I enjoy a slow start, and other times I like being thrown right into the storyโit depends on my mood and the bookโs vibe.
Although there is a strong start, towards the middle the pace seems to slow and there are some ‘filler’ chapters. In my opinion they weren’t bad but did they really need to be there? Probably not. However towards the end, it picks back up again and I just couldn’t put it down. To go from fast (start) to slow (middle) back to fast (end) is a great balance for me.
There were some nice plot twists a long the way which I personally did not see coming. Sometimes I really like that in a book because instead of trying to figure out what’s going on, I feel more immersed in the story. This definitely reads YA, especially with the romantic elements. This is a good sign because the book targets that audience.
I also quickly realised whilst reading this book is that it has a love triangle present and I’ve not read many books that have them before. However, I was pleasantly surprised with this addition and felt that it supported the storyline great.. Although, I have not yet continued with the series so I can’t decide if I am Team Oro or Team Grim??? – At this point I love both of their characters…
Yes, there are mixed opinions towards this book, but Iโd say give it a try and judge for yourself.. If you’re wanting a deadly competition, a forbidden romance, an “enemies to lovers” dynamic, or a love triangle then this is the book for you. I went into this book without any high expectations but ended up absolutely LOVING it and I can’t wait to get to the next book in the series!
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