Alex Aster continues to impress with her latest addition to the Lightlark series. Not onl is her worl building and writing style impressive who she is as a person with fan iteractions is incredible. This addition to her series is a great continuation of the story of Lightlark and drawn readers further into the wold and the stories it weaves within it. having the perfect amount of twists mixed in with the action keep the reader engaged through the story. I am already looking forward to the next addition to this series and all that Alex plans to bring to the world of Lightlark!

This book release was the one I was most excited to read this year after the ending of Nightbane had me dying for answers.

The narration of the audiobook was fantastic and I finished this in one day, as I couldn't stop listening. I physically read the first two books Lightlark and Nightbane but will now buy the audiobooks of both.

In Skyshade, we learn more about the history between Isla and Grim as she gains back her memories. Isla battles with the light and dark sides of herself and her feelings for both Oro and Grim while she struggles to control her powers. According to the prophecy, Isla will kill Oro or Grim, and she will either save or destroy Lightlark.

All can say is Alex Aster, the Queen of cliffhanger endings, has me out here ready to preorder the next book that she most likely hasn’t written yet and I'm still team Grim.

The third book in this series starts right where it ended in the second book. This book had a really good pace, I was never at a boring or dull part in the story and was interested in how the plot kept unfolding.

One of the things that really bothered me about this book was the love triangle. This is still happening in book three? It felt very drawn out and I was getting whiplash from her back and forth throughout the whole novel.

Cliffhanger at the end was a good one, so good to know the series will be continuing on!

One thing to note was I listened to the audiobook version of this novel. I liked the narrator except for Grim’s voice, the raspiness made me cringe every time she spoke his parts, but that could also just be me.

Wow, wow, wow!! This was my favorite of the first three books. The love triangle is heart wrenching. I literally love Grim, but I love Oro. My heart is literally breaking trying to work through who she is going to choose! This ends on a cliffhanger, that literally made me gasp when it ended because I wasn’t expecting it to end!

Overall I loved the story and the characters. I will say that it did get kind of discouraging throughout the book with how many conflicts Isla had to work through. It increased my anxiety because it seem like just when she would figure something out or get a breakthrough, something else would pop up that would deter her plans. Just maybe a few less conflicts in the future would make my mind more at ease while reading/listening.

Can’t wait for the next one!

"I will choose you over the world every single time"

Listen, I've always been team Oro, but Skyshade might have swayed me slightly to the dark side, aka Grim.

Grim accepts all of Isla, the good, the bad, and the ugly. They both understand and see each other for who they really are. Chapter 17 was my turning point. (It had me screaming!!) Both of them have a morally gray strand. Grim is, of course, misunderstood. We get to see a flash of his rough upbringing. However, he truly does love Isla. She's all he has.

I also loved seeing Isla's growth throughout. Not only as a person but in her powers too. I know deep down that Isla and Grim are endgame. They are meant to be, and I see that now. However, I'll always love Oro. He's such a sweet man who loves her deeply, and it showed in this book.

Skyshade is by far the best book in the series so far!! I couldn't put it down, and as always, the ending has me wanting more!!

Holy moly!!!!! My jaw still has not left the floor! Alex you genius. This is the best book of the series. 5 stars. Thank you all for the opportunity to be an arc reviewer. Isla is annoying for the most part of this book, but the storyline itself is the best.

I can not wait for Tuesday's announcements from Alex!!!

I really liked the first and second book. I liked the romance story but felt this drug on bit. And it doesn’t seem like an ending is coming soon.

This book was just what I would have expected from the author of Lightlark and Nightbane. Skyshade was everything I could have hoped for to continue the Lightlark Saga. There was a little bit of spice (but not too much) and the spice that was in there was *chef’s kiss* perfect. There was TENSION, and heartbreak. There was betrayal and mystery. Alex Aster is an author that will be added to my “read everything they write” list.

I absolutely love this series!!!! The first book was so fun with the competitions, the second book was so juicy with the memory flash backs and the love triangle / pending war, I couldn’t wait to read book 3 to see the aftermath of the war!!

Firstly I have to say I can’t pick a team, I love both Grimm and Oro for various different reasons, they are total opposites and have such appealing qualities to each of them. Oro being so kind and gentle, so loyal and a fierce leader to the island. He is the most patient and giving of everyone and is completely selfish in his love for Isla and the people of Skylark. Grimm is broody and morally grey and would do absolutely anything for Isla. He understands the dark parts of her and helps her to accept these parts of herself. He is also funny I love their banter and the sexual chemistry is absolutely there.

I just really can’t choose who I like most 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

I really loved this book, the narrator overall did a good job, the only thing I didn’t love about the audiobook is that I read books 1 and 2 physically, so changing over to audiobook was a little different for me, I enjoyed listening to the book but the part I didn’t enjoy was the narrators attempt at Grimms character, I think they should have split the narration into male and female voice overs because after a specific image of Grimm that I’ve created in my head, hearing an obviously woman’s attempt at doing his deep masculine voice was just noooot it for me and kind of ruined his parts in the book for me 🤦🏼‍♀️. I don’t think the narrator is at fault she did what she could but the audiobook would have landed so much better had they cast each character with separate narrators.

In terms of the plot and book itself, another excellent drop from the author, it was fantastic and entertaining and I loved it. I definitely recommend this series!

Thank you to Alex Aster and RB Media for the ALC!!

Publish date: November 12th 2024

Really enjoyed this book! Alex did an amazing jobs trying to grasp the complexity of self (internal), and external expectations. I enjoyed reading about Isla's growth, history, and background. I also enjoyed the aspects of getting to know Grimm and Isla's history a bit more. I went into this book assuming that it was the last one, but the ending implies that there may more. Thank you net galley for the ARC copy!

I like this story and think that if you liked the others in the series, you would like this one too. I thought this was going to be a trilogy and there is a cliffhanger at the end so I think we can expect more books in the series.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Alex Aster for the ARC - these thoughts are all of my own"

Skyshade, the third installment of The Lightlark Saga, promises readers an exciting mix of fantasy, adventure, and romance. As the third book in the series, I was extremely excited to see how Isla, Grim, and Oro's stories progresses. However, the pacing of the novel struggles to find a consistent rhythm. Pivotal events are often overshadowed by the shifting of focus.

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The descriptions of the settings are immersive, I was quickly swept up in this fantastical landscape. The love triangle is a major piece of the series. Unfortunately, in Skyshade, the love triangle was not as compelling as the previous novels in the series. Isla kept claiming a strong anger towards Grim; however, her emotions towards him were inconsistent at a sped pace. Furthermore, even when she claims to love Grim and want to be with him "forever", she seems to continue her flirtation with Oro. We did not get much development to Oro and Isla's relationship, so their chapters together seemed rush and out of focus.

Ultimately, Skyshade is a book with great potential. The foundation for a sweeping fantasy saga is there, but the uneven execution in the love triangle and pacing detracts from its overall impact. Fans of the series may find enough to enjoy, but others may struggle with the fragmented nature of the narrative.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Skyshade. I have thoroughly enjoyed this YA series. This book did not disappoint! Hoping for another installment as I am still reeling from the ending!

I absolutely loved Skyshade. With each new installment, the Lightlark series grows even richer and more captivating. This book had everything I look for—love, adventure, mystery, and just the right amount of spice. Every page brims with twists and turns, secrets and lies, creating an atmosphere where anything could happen. The characters are so compelling that, even when Isla is clouded in darkness, you find yourself rooting for them all. The storyline is masterfully crafted; it’s layered, immersive, and impossible to put down. I can only describe Skyshade as pure perfection. If you’re looking for a series that combines intense action with deep emotion, this is it!

SCREAMING OVER THE ENDING!!!🐍 I need book 4 ASAP!

I will try to keep all of this spoiler free. I might even release a more detailed review with quotes after November 12 🩵

First, I want to say thanks to RBMedia, NetGalley, and Alex Aster for the audio arc. It was truly an honor to listen to early!

For those of you that loved books 1 and 2, you’re gonna enjoy book 3. 😏

In Skyshade, Isla really develops more as a character and we even find out more of her backstory. I love that she spends time with both Oro and Grim. It’s really interesting to see her talk with both of them (individually) and struggle through what to do after the insane ending in book 2 🤯 But, in Skyshade, the love triangle isn’t as much the focus as Isla trying to figure out how not to fulfill the prophecy. It felt like there were more adventures and side quests in Skyshade than the others.

There were so many twists, turns, and daggers to the heart in this book. I really enjoyed it! But I will say that some of these came out of nowhere. I would’ve liked to had more of a foundation throughout each book. Also, the ending was a bit rushed and came FAST. I was shocked when it was over.

A word of caution…This book has more sexually explicit content than the others. I probably wouldn’t consider this YA anymore. So just be aware if you want to skip those pages.

With all that said, do yourself a favor and pick up Skyshade on November 12!! 🩵 I especially recommend it on audio! Suzy Jackson did incredible.

Absolutely Loved Skyshade !! I cannot believe the journey we went through in this book ! Highly recommend this series ! I am obsessed with Grim.

This series hasn’t been my favorite but I have felt interested enough to continue to the third installment, which I thought was the last. Sadly, it is not the end. There has been so much back and forth between Isla and her suitors, I actually gave up trying to keep them straight because I am convinced this is going to end in some sort of why choose scenario.

The plot is pretty exhausting, every one hates her and doesn’t trust her except the two men who love her… the only defining characteristics about Oro and Grim is that they love her unconditionally and they aren’t their fathers.

While I thought 80% of this book was just pulling shit from thin air (a prophet, an ogre, a storm detecting bird…. What…) there was some helpful backstory about Isla’s parents that brought some clarity.

Overall, I don’t think I will continue this series because it is just very underwhelming.

Thanks to NetGalley and RBMedia for an advanced audio copy provided in exchange for my honest review.

I loved every minute of this book!

The good: The suspense, the plot twists, the romantic tension… This FMC has come a long way in her character development. The author does a great job showing her growth and the mental and emotional angst she has in dealing with the questions of her destiny. I particularly loved the emotional tug of war between her two loves and the way she is painted as truly tortured by her division of emotions. And the SPICE WAS SPICING! 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ For some reason, I thought this was a trilogy and so I was GUTTED by the cliffhanger at the end. I NEED the next book!!!

The not as good: I mean, it was so good I don’t have any major criticisms. The only reason it wasn’t five stars from me was that I found the plot to be a little confusing at times. A twisty plot is great, but sometimes it can lead to more questions than answers or be somewhat confusing. I had to go back a couple of times and re-listen to intricate details that I missed the first time that ended up being important clues. But they were almost so subtle that it was easy to glaze over them and then I ended up confused. But such is the case with audiobooks sometimes.

Overall, I absolutely loved and devoured this book! Thank you for the opportunity to review this arc.

I have heard so much about this series and I am so glad I read it! I am sucked into the world of Alex Aster, and I am completely okay with it. This is book 3 in the series, and i really hope there will be a book 4! We get to dive deeper into Isla’s story and see what happens in Grim’s castle! It does end on a cliffhanger in my opinion, so hopefully we get to continue this amazing series!

I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK, it's easily my favorite read of the year, The plot was great but I loved that reading the book immediately made me want to go back and read it all over again because I wasn't ready for it to end yet.