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

I absolutely love the plot of this book. The characters are well written. The beginning was a bit to get through but it makes sense, considering the thorough world building. So excited that a movie will be coming out!

Where do I even begin? This book is like that flashy new reality show that everyone talks about, but when you actually sit down to watch it, you realize you’ve been lured into a trap. The plot? Predictable. The characters? Paper-thin. The world-building? Let’s just say it’s a little... hollow.



So, here's the deal: Every 100 years, these six rulers—each from a cursed realm—are invited to the Centennial. Why? To break their curses, of course. But hold onto your seat because there's a catch: One ruler must die. Dramatic, right? But instead of feeling like high stakes, it just feels like a really bad game of "Who’s Most Likely to Get Killed Off." (Spoiler alert: It's the character with the least personality, obviously.)

Isla Crown, the ruler of Wildling, is cursed to kill anyone she falls in love with. Sounds edgy, right? Wrong. Instead of being a compelling tragedy, it just becomes the world’s longest, most tedious love triangle. She’s stuck playing the “do I trust him or do I want to punch him in the face?” game with every male character in the book. How original.

The real problem here isn’t the fact that Isla’s world is about as interesting as a soggy cracker—no, the problem is that it tries so hard to be mysterious and twisty that it forgets to make sense. The plot is a collection of half-baked ideas slapped together with some sparkling dialogue and a ton of unnecessary drama. Isla’s internal monologue? It’s like reading a diary entry from someone who’s just discovered love triangles and doesn’t know when to stop.

And let’s not even get started on the “rules” of this Centennial game. They’re about as clear as a foggy day. You’re supposed to be playing for your life, but everyone’s running around with secret agendas, and no one really seems to know what’s going on half the time. At one point, I was wondering if the real curse was that I had to keep reading this book.

To be fair, it’s not all bad. The pacing is quick enough that it’s an easy read when you’re in the mood for something you don’t have to think too hard about. And the romantic tension (or whatever it was) will probably keep you turning pages... if you’re the type who gets excited by gasp forbidden love.
But if you’re looking for a tightly woven, immersive fantasy with characters that make you care or plot twists that are actually clever—well, let’s just say you’d be better off playing an actual game of Life than reading Lightlark.

In conclusion: It’s a book that promises magic and mystery but delivers a whole lot of eye rolls and “did that really just happen?” moments. The curses? Underwhelming. The romance? Eye-roll worthy. The stakes? About as high as a paper airplane on a windless day. You’re better off finding another book with a little more substance and a little less melodrama.

I am so torn right now it’s not even funny. I called a few things and got them right, but I absolutely did not predict the rest. I finished this book gobsmacked, frustrated, conflicted, confused, and honestly a little betrayed. I am such a sucker for trials, mysteries, adventure, high stakes, secrets, and of course a love story, so this book had me hooked. The competition, the twists, the betrayals, the atmosphere, the curses, the tension… all of it kept me turning pages. I loved trying to figure out who was lying, who could be trusted, and what was actually going on. But also… excuse me??? Do not give me a love triangle with so few interactions and then somehow make it make sense. I’m pissed. I’m invested. I’m confused. I’m annoyed that it worked on me. And do not try to Sarah J. Maas my ass into thinking I like Tamlin when Rhysand is clearly standing right there. IYKYK. This book twisted a knife into my heart at the end and then had the audacity to leave me wanting the next one immediately. So yes, I’m mad. Yes, I’m emotionally wounded. Yes, I had a great time. 5 stars, but I’m saying that with my arms crossed.

We loved this book. it was a great book club read and we got super hyped about oro and grim. i dont like oro bc i like grim better but my friend likes oro bc she thinks grim used isla.

Celeste was an obvious villain pull, and the Grim/Oro/Isla triangle was your average golden vs bad boy love triangle. kinda slow in the beginning, but it speeds up pretty quick.