Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was disappointing on so many levels. I had no expectations going into it, considering a majority of books on booktok are hyped up beyond reason. This was pitched as "Hunger Games meets A Court of Thorn and Roses," which is completely untrue. The competition was a complete joke. Nothing even happened till the very end of it. The whole competition is just a never-ending cycle of being told about Isla's tight scandalous outfits, her stilted dialogue with both of her love interests, and everyone standing around throwing barbs at her. I did not see the connection at all to ACOTAR, except for the cheesy love triangle.

Speaking of Isla, she was a bland main character. Despite being one of the youngest competitors there (the other rulers are 500 years old or more), she somehow bests all of them at their own game. There is one scene in particular where she defeats two characters at a specific skill that they have specialized in for over 500 years. She would constantly remark on how smart and independent she is, but she often makes the dumbest moves and depend on others to bail her out. Yet somehow, she is the only one in over 500 years to connect the dots of Lightlark's curse. Make it make sense.

I do not recommend this book. Yes, the plot twist was good, but the last 5% of the book does not make up for the rest of it.

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by RB Media.

Welcome to the Centennial. Every 100 years, the island of Lightlark appears to host the Centennial, a deadly game that only the rulers of six realms are invited to play. The invitation is a summons. The Centennial offers the six rulers one final chance to break the curses that have plagued their realms for centuries. Each ruler has something to hide. Each realm’s curse is uniquely wicked. To destroy the curses, one ruler must die.

Isla Crown is the young ruler of Wildling - a realm of temptresses cursed to kill anyone they fall in love with. They are feared and despised, and are counting on Isla to end their suffering by succeeding at the Centennial. To survive, Isla must lie, cheat, and betray…even as love complicates everything.

There were too many small issues with the book that combined made this book simply good instead of great or amazing. The writing is super easy to digest and I didn't have any issues with the writing style. There are a lot of aspects of Lightlark that are very interesting and unique. I personally struggled to connect with Isla, and felt no emotional connection to her. The worldbuilding is meh. There was no grounding time; we were just thrust into the world and expected to figure it out. I am hoping that the final version contains a map and character list because I was definitely confused regarding the layout of this world and keeping up with the characters. I felt like there were moments where I could see lots and lots of great potential for Lightlark but, the book wasn't for me.

This has been one of my most anticipated reads of the year I have followed the Arthor for awhile and have been forward to reading it i loved it so much it was amazing couldn't stop listening I absolutely can not wait to get a copy I'm in love!!

I am absolutely loving it! The worldbuilding of the series is done really well. It definitely reminds me of the early 2010s, split into different factions but in a well done way. It differs slightly since it pulls on a more fantasy concept but it definitely does not disappoint with the excitement. There wasn't a single character that I could really say I disliked, even the side characters had some well rounded backstories. This is definitely not a book to miss and the movie is a no-brainer. I cannot wait for the sequel!!

There's an interesting concept here but I just couldn't get into this story however much I listened to, so I won't be continuing with it.

You know it's a good audiobook when you have to completely reschedule your day to leave more time for listening, especially when I got to the last few chapters. This book has been so hyped up on BookTok and Instagram that I was a little nervous it wouldn't live up to the expectations but woah - I didn't expect any of the twists and turns this book took me on. Sometimes I wanted to smack Isla for being so niave of a main character but it all paid out in the end. I haven't been on the edge of my seat like that in a while - pretty sure my jaw never left the floor towards the end. Hunger Games meets ACOTAR - I was fully immersed and can't wait to read the physical copy when it comes out. ARC of the audiobook provided by NetGalley.

Looking for a fantasy read that contains adventure, political tension, magical curses that need to be defeated, a female main character who is a ruler without power, plus some more? Then definitely read Lightlark.

Lightlark follows Isla the ruler of the wildlings (think wood nymphs and sirens) who must complete in the Centennial with the other 5 realms who have all been effected by a curse for the last 500 years. Throughout the journey of the competition Isla will come to doubt everything she knew to be true, as she is faced with new truths while trying to save not just her realm.

Overall this is a very enjoyable read and recommend the audiobook. There are a few redundancies with some of the internal dialogue, but easy to overlook as the story is captivating. The plot twists in the book are also done well. Highly recommend this read for anyone who enjoyed Lore, ACOTAR, and the hunger games.

I really enjoyed YA fantasy audiobook…I thought the narrator was perfect for this story! The story itself was so magical and intriguing! It was super fast-paced, and there were so many twists and turns! I really love the characters, they were well written. The world building was so lush and enchanting.. I just want to keep exploring this world Alex Aster created! I can’t wait for this story to continue and to see what is next for Isla and the rest of the rulers!

Enemies to lovers, hunger games style centennial to break a curse, 6 rulers pitted against each other.

Lightlark is probably the best fantasy novel I have read in the past little while. I was thoroughly engaged the entire time, and consumed this book like it was a drug I couldn’t get enough of. The characters, the world building and the story line were simply incredible.

The twists and turns at the end I did not expect at all! And the cliffhanger! My god I can’t wait for more.

5 stars Alex Aster. Can’t wait to get me preordered physical copy. This audiobook was incredible.

Fans of Sarah J Maas, Jennifer L Armentrout, and The Hunger Games will love this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and RB Media for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Full review to be posted on Instagram and blog closer to release date.

I received an early copy of this audiobook from Netgalley and RB Media. All opinions are my own!

Hold your horses because I have a lot to say about this book. I was very disappointed in it based off all the raving reviews and hype that I have seen so far. It ended up not meeting any of those in my mind.

Starting with the main character, Isla, she seemed very flat the entire time. The story jumps straight into going to Lightlark, which is fine and can often be really fun. But it never goes back to actually build her up to tell her story before this. There could have been so much about her life before and how much she hated it. But just telling me she hated it and then moving on doesn't make me feel for her. I never felt like I had a reason to care about Isla and the story that she was involved in. She ended up being very flat, and it was as though she was just a device for the plot and not the actual heart of the story.

Then we have the world-building. It was non-existent. I was extremely confused the entire time. Lightlark is an island that only shows up every 100 years? But then people live on it? But then each magic line has its own island? But Lightlark and Nightshade are at war? Not sure why that is. And why were the curses placed? That doesn't make sense until the plot twist and reveal. There are no rules to the curses? What are all their powers?
There could have been so much done with all these magic lines and islands and cultures? But basically it's stated they exist and that's it. There's no going into these places and describing them or their people or their magic or why we should care about any of them or how beautiful they can be. I was really excited to dive into this world and none of that occurred at all.

Next comes the romance. It gave me the icks. It felt like Aster was trying to do the whole "500 year old mate with a young girl" thing that's popular lately. But I genuinely thought that all the other characters were so much older than her, even in personality. The way they were written made me visualize them as old men. So yeah...there's that. Not to mention the fact that the romance made me feel absolutely nothing.

And lastly, the plot. Or should I say...what plot? It had such wonderful potential, just like everything else in this book. But it felt like Aster was trying to do way too much. There were many threads that were picked up and then never explored or followed. The writing itself was so disjointed that I couldn't even piece together one individual scene flowing into the next. I couldn't figure out who was doing things or why or who was a friend or foe. I couldn't even figure out the competition, which was the integral part of the story.

So basically, I was extremely disappointed and thought that this was going to be one of my all-time favorites based on the marketing. There is absolutely nothing like The Hunger Games about this book. There's nothing here for fans of "Marie Lu, Marissa Meyer, and Leigh Bardugo." The TikTok hype must be paid hype because this book was tragic...and not in the good way.

From the beginning, Lightlark had me hooked and on the edge of my seat. I didn’t know what to expect going into this book. The synopsis was thrilling and made sure to capture my attention, but the book itself had so many twists and turns and it wasn’t anything like what I expected. The world building was so dynamic and the characters were well written and exciting to read about. I love how fantastic this book was—so full of romance, action, betrayal, and magic. I am so excited for the sequel!

Fresh, new and exciting: these are all words I have to say about LIGHTLARK. I jumped at the chance to listen to this audiobook, and while I do wish I had a digital or physical copy to read along with it, I found this audiobook to be such a fun experience. Aster's world-building is absolutely impeccable with the way she created the island of Lightlark, the unique qualities of each of realm and the entire concept of the magic system and the Centennial competition were all really vividly portrayed and attention grabbing. And the characters are just as engaging and easy to feel for. I was living for the love triangle in this one, especially Grim and Isla together, and there are certain plot twists toward the end left me with severe emotional damage. Alex Aster's writing is sharp and exciting, her voice is a fresh addition to the YA Fantasy genre. Pacing wise, the plot goes and goes and just flows so well. The hype is worth it for this one. LIGHTLARK is a story filled with exciting competition, swoony romance and devastating betrayals and it really was such a fun debut!

Lightlark

Holy mother of the hunger games just with more celestials with insane powers. This was fantastic. This book is easily bumped into my top 10 reads of the year! This has a mix of EVERYTHING I LOVE

✨ Life or death trials
✨Ancient curses that needs to be broken
✨Unique powers from each unique realm
✨Hidden identity
✨Enemies to lovers romance
✨Quests
✨Fiery, fierce and badass MC
✨Brooding, moody males
✨Plot twists galore
✨Forbidden love
✨Love Triangle

Six rulers, one ancient curse plaguing all their realms. One magic island full of deadly curses.Welcome to the Centennial. Lightlark will either be the death of one of them, or the salvation from their deepest curses. Ready or not, the game just begun.

We follow the story through the eyes of Isla Crown, ruler of the Wildlings who have been chosen to take part in this Centennial. The curse that haunts her land, is that all Wildlings are born temptresses, absorbingly pleasing to the eye, but can never fall in love. If they do, the curse steps in and you kill the person you love. So with love forbidden for her, her mind is clear for this centennial- win, so her court can be free from its curses.
But this is also the hope for the 5 other contenders. You will be engulfed in a wave of betrayal, love triangles and biggest of secrets and plot-twist.

Safe to say, I ate this book UP. This is honestly as good as TikTok says it is. I absolutely need book two right now!
This is perfect for fans of Hunger Games, Acotar, Folk of the Air, Red Queen and Shatter Me!

Also this is being turned into a MOVIE?! I mean!!! Pre-order this now! Don’t walk- RUN

Also- for the love triangle.
Damn. I am split! Oro and Grim were the second highlights of this book aside from Isla now being one of my favorite badass MC females. The skills on this girl! And her wittiness was just everything. Grim’s insta love, dark, brooding and sarcastic just had me feeling all the tension. And Oro, sweet, hard to understand Oro, is just the perfect enemies to lovers. How the hell must Isla choose, how must I choose?

For NOW I am team Grim, but we’ll see if my mind changes in the sequel😉

Absolute must read! This was everything.

Lightlark is without a doubt the newest fantasy series phenomenon, and I feel honored that I got to read it early.

In Lightlark, we meet the rulers of six realms that have all been cursed for centuries. But every 100 years, they gather on this island (Lightlark) that only appears to host the centennial–a deadly game that would break the curse of the winner. Our main heroine is Isla, the young ruler of the Wildling realm that is cursed to kill anyone she falls in love with. She is a badass. I’m obsessed.

This book has it all. It's got a fantasy world that is easy to jump straight into, and is still vividly written. It makes it feel like an escape into a great film. It has complicated, interesting characters that are definitely not black and white on the morality scale. It has ever-changing and evolving relationships. It has a storyline that twists and weaves in a way that will not allow you to guess the ending and not allow you to want to put the book down.

I'm already salivating for a sequel. I'm about to venmo a dollar a day to the This-book-in-Grim's-POV fund.

It's a masterpiece. Go read it.

This was an interesting and magical novel and I very much enjoyed the premise. I think the narrator and author both invite readers to enjoy the story and do a great job of storytelling. Since this is a series, I'm looking forward to the world building and character exploration as readers may end up with more questions than answers after reading the ending.

The characters are relatable though a little one dimensional, especially Grim, and I found myself wanting more: more scenes, more information, more chemistry, more world building.

I did enjoy the story and I will recommend to readers who enjoy this writing style and genre of literature, I would look forward to reading the sequels to really complete the story and characters.

Pitch: A captivating and enchanting gothic fantasy where Hunger Games meets romance in the deadliest of ways.

Ok ok ok... WOW... this book surprised me in the BEST way. I went into it knowing there was hype around it, but not really knowing a lick about the plot. Apparently it's already been picked up for a movie and the book itself hasn't even been released yet!

Quick Overview: Magical competition (called The Centennial) between six rulers of realms that are competing to break a long-standing curse that plagues their lands and people. This story swept me up from the beginning, as we follow Isla, the ruler of the Wildling, as she does just about anything to try to win and save her people.

This story was filled with:
* a great magic system/world whereby all rulers have a specific magic set
* cursed lands and people that make all of the realms very inclined to win the competition
* the Centennial competition was a fun overarching plot that has sub-plots all weaved within
* so many secrets, twists, and turns are revealed throughout this story - basically no one can be trusted and s**t gets wild! The stakes are HIGH.
* a compelling and bada** FMC (Isla) who I found very interesting and who I was just always rooting for.
* ok there is a love-triangle, BUT... hear me out... I didn't find myself annoyed by it at all (this is coming from someone who really doesn't enjoy them). If you've read These Twisted Vows... it's similar to this!

Was this book perfect? No, but I don't even care, because I enjoyed my time listening to this book SO MUCH and cannot wait for book 2!

This book was one of the books I have seen being talked about the most on social media and it definitely lived up to the hype! While I was listening, I became so sucked into the world and didn't want it to end! I can't wait for the next one to come out. I really liked the narrators voice and I tend to be picky with audiobooks.

ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. The world building and characters are so well done. I loved Isla and was rooting for her. I just fell in love with this world and I cannot wait for the rest of the series. My jaw dropped so many times at the twists! I was crying with Isla. My heart broke for her. I was bawling toward the end. This is an phenomenal debut!

Absolutely enchanting, with so many secrets and betrayals, Isla could not catch a break!

There were so many twists and turns, I could only predict one of them, and the last 10% of the book absolutely blew me away. Also, the writing was very vivid and fast-paced.

I loved the characters. Isla is very determined and ambitious. I did find her to be naïve, but I would have made the same decisions as her in her place, so who am I to judge?

Then comes Grim. I would usually say that if a man asks you to call him Grim, don’t call him Grim. Don’t call him, period. Just leave. But he is fictional, so it’s all good, right? I loved him! I wanted more of him! He was just so mysterious and soft towards Isla.

Oro was very intriguing. Very broody and untrusting, but I understand why he was so untrusting. I initially wasn’t a fan, but seeing him melt for Isla made me melt for him.

The romance was amazing. I usually don’t like love triangles, but I really enjoyed this one. There is always this one love interest who has a better chance with the MC, not in this one! I did not know which one Isla will pick until the end.

The only few issues I had were with the world building. I think we could have delved deeper into each realm. It was all very superficial to me. Also, I don’t understand why all these rulers couldn’t have just teamed up and look for a way to break the curse, rather than host an elaborate competition that would definitely waste their time.

Overall, very enjoyable. Definitely would recommend to the fans of ACOTAR, I have seen this comparison a lot, and it stands. I did not enjoy ACOTAR, but I loved this.

TWENTY STARS! One of the most perfect worlds and perfectly written characters I have ever read in my life! A true rollercoaster of emotions and plot twists! Filled to the brim with suspense, love, intrigue, betrayal and fully developed characters! The true villian and/or big bad was completely unexpected and unpredicted!!!!I laughed and was filled with shock as well as quite surprised more than once! Such strong and unpredictable characters! The world and magic were well executed and planned! A WORK OF ART IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE STORY!!!! BRAVO!!!