I feel very disappointed in this series especially with this book. I was bored for most of it if I’m being honest. The back and forth between Oro and Grimm is annoying at this point. Not even the plot twist helped keep my interest. I feel like the more this series goes on, the less it makes sense to me. The only reason why I kept reading after Nightshade was to see who she might end up with. I would also like to know HOW MANY MORE BOOKS ARE IN THIS SERIES?

Thank you to Alex Aster, RB Media and NetGalley for this audiobook.

Alex Aster did it again! I deeply loved the continuation of this series even if I want to throw my phone when certain twists occur. I guess that means it was well written?

The first portion of the book was very Grim and Isla based and I was enthralled! I love the two of them together. Oro has never really been a favorite of mine and honestly, the love triangle is getting a tad ridiculous. I do wish Aster would do her next book on just Isla and Grim but I have a feeling Oro is endgame and that makes me sad.

Overall, I enjoyed this a lot and am happy to keep picking up any books Alex Aster creates!

Last half of the book was the downfall. Cheating trope + rushed ending was not ideal for me. Grim was the only reason I kept listening. As well, the reader was great.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Obsessed. This audiobook was everything.

Okay, so Skyshade by Alex Aster totally hooked me. The audiobook? Chef’s kiss. The narrator was amazing and really brought the characters to life—I could feel every moment of tension, heartbreak, and triumph.

The world-building was so vivid I felt like I was there. The magic system is super cool and different from anything I’ve read before, and the plot had me guessing the whole time (in the best way). The twists? Jaw. Dropping. The main character’s journey hit me hard because it felt so real—like I was rooting for her with my whole heart.

If I’m being picky, some side characters felt a little underdeveloped, but honestly, that’s such a small thing compared to how much I loved this story. I’m already dying for the next one. If you’re into epic fantasy with all the feels, read this. Or better yet, listen to it.

We dive right back in where we left off in Nightbane with Isla in Nightshade. She battles with her decision to go with Grim and well as with her overwhelming power. You meet interesting new characters as well as a very lovable new bonded who became a fast favorite of the story. Isla continues to struggle with finding out what her true path is and you learn more about the prophecy foretold about her. This book keeps you on your toes from the very beginning! Those of you who are Team Grim strap up cause this one is definitely for us. Loved this book and absolutely can not wait for the next one!

Amazing!! I have loved this series so far. Although I did struggle with the first half of this book but it was worth the slow start. The ending had me in tears!

ARC review Skyshade by @alexaster

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Twists, turns, betrayal and love triangles. “Who did this to you” coming from Grimm just makes you shiver. Every time he said it, I wanted to kick my feet. Islã faces so much in this book. Ancestors and betrayals from the unexpected. An ending that left me wanting more ✨

I could have sworn I read that this was supposed to be a trilogy. After doing some Googling, I saw that recently they extended this series by two more books. I wanted to love this as I really enjoyed the first two, but this book read as if suddenly the plot needed to be expanded and was mostly fluff, all the way to the end. I grew impatient with the pining over two males and the poor me attitude. By the third book, that should be pretty resolved or written better. Unfortunately, this was not it for me. I think this could have been a really strong ending, but instead, even after finishing it, I'm wondering what the point was. All the important bits fit into 3 chapters.

The narration was well done but the story is a complete mess. Instead of character growth we have character regression across the board. Grim and Oro are both irredeemable characters and Isla continues to be a one dimensional, immature mess.

The fact that this is now a 5 book series when it would have been better served as a tightly written duology makes this the last book of the series for me. The plot was interesting but not good enough to stretch out across so many books.

First things first, I really enjoyed lightlark and nightbane. I was excited to see how the story wrapped up. Alas, it was not meant to be. I felt like a whole bunch of nothing happened in this one. It definitely could have been way shorter. Then to end it on a cliffhanger for yet another book is blasphemy.

Thank you to netgalley for this audiobook arc. I was so excited to see how this series ended that I was shocked when we ended with another cliffhanger. I enjoyed being back in this world and hearing from all the many characters but I was left disappointed by the love triangle. I really am growing tired of all three of the main characters. The “twist” was somehow boring and not as captivating as I’d hoped.

I really wanted to love this book but it fell flat. I would have liked to see this “trilogy” wrapped up. The storyline in this one didn’t hold me like the first two did and the continuation and indecision of the love triangle is tiresome.

What a great continuation of this series. I definitely enjoyed this one more than Nightbane but the cliffhanger??? Omg I wish the next book was available now.

I’m in love with Grim and can’t get enough.

Thank you NetGalley & RBMedia for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️

If you are going to read this book, you must read Lightlark first, then Nightbane because this book follows from where Nightbane left off.

This book would’ve been a 4 stars for me if the ending has only been slightly different.

Because up until the last two chapters I felt as though this book was phenomenal and it was completely original. I’ve never read anything like this before but the way that it left off made me feel like it was an idea that was copied off the book I have already read and a film I have already seen.

For the first time in this series, we got a third person point of view from both Grim & Oro, they both only got one chapter each and I was dying for more.

The poetic justice behind what Isla had to go through combined with the trepidation of choosing which one of these men she has to end, for gut wrenching heart soaring, climaxing moments for me.

Up until the end, I was gripping my seat like it was my own personal tether to the Earth.

I personally cannot decide which team I am on still I’ve been switching so much I may as well be bisexual 😂.

I personally will be continuing this series because I want to know how Oro & Grim playing into this new world that Isla has gone to.

Enjoy my library!

Skyshade is the third installment in Alex Aster's Lightlark series. It follow a FMC named Isla as she unravels the world around her, that she had been naive to for so long.

This was a highly anticipated read for me, and though I loved the first and second book in this series, Skyshade has been my favorite and most highly rated installment. The emotions throughout the book were so captivating, I cried several times through Isla's journey of navigating the love triangle and the wilderness at the center of her heart. Aster writes so bravely, she is not an author who is afraid of conflict and loss within her writing, which I appreciate. Some fantasy books can feel too "safe," where every death is met with a magical revival, or someone finds a secret power when faced with impeding doom. I love Skyshade because for a fantasy work, it feels much more real. The loss is true, and heartbreaking. The main character is real, and flawed. Where some people see Isla's indecision as frustrating, I see it as relatable. I love a main character- and a love interest- that can be morally gray.

I would definitely recommend the Lightlark series to anyone who enjoys fantasy, and reading about magic. Especially elemental magic, and books with creatures and/or familiars, as this component is a huge reason behind why this is a five star read to me.

Thank you to RBmedia for providing me this ARC audiobook via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This was an incredible story that had me switching back and forth between Team Oro and Team Grim. To quote my favorite tv show, The Vampire Diaries. It’s ok to love them both, I did. Just like the other books in the Lightlark series, it left me dying for the next book.

Shyshade was my one of the most anticipated books of this year, as it features detailed world-building, interesting characters, and a love triangle. Isla has gone over to the side of evil (in her opinion). Afraid of fulfilling the prophecy, she chooses Grim, leaving Oro with a broken heart. However, there are some other prophecies, all of which lead to Isla either saving the world... or destroying it. A rather unexpected antagonist makes this story more dynamic, as does the impressive ending.
And while Isla continues to think about both Grim and Oro, there are more hints in the third installment as to who she will stay with (though I may be wrong).
Alex Aster promised that this would be a trilogy, but announced that there would be two more books. Perhaps this slightly underestimated my impressions, because I was expecting to know how it all ends, but now I have to wait almost a year.
In general, Shyshade continues to raise the bar of the series, giving a fantastic reading experience.

My least favorite part of the series but I still really enjoyed it overall. I can't wait for the next installment. TEAM GRIM

I got this audiobook from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I want to start by saying that the voice actress sounds like how I had Isla in my mind!

I really enjoyed the descriptions of the scenery, the action scenes and the.. more spicy ones.
I didn't know they were going to happen and I was surprised!

The characters are well written, everyone with their own story and secrets, tho, I have to say, it felt a little bit like Isla didn't have any growth..

All in all, it's a good book, but it would have been better if we had answers and if it was the final book of the series.

The start of this book was really interesting, but it quickly lost my interest. I thought the story had so much potential, but I expected more from book 3. Unfortunately, this book just was not for me. The story seemed to drag on and it did not keep my interest. The audiobook narration was great, but I didn’t love the narrator’s Grimm voice. Besides that, very well performed.