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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The ending felt a bit rushed, there are so many unanswered questions! I thoroughly enjoyed this read and I’m looking forward to all the plot holes being filled. Hopefully the same goes for my girl Isla too 😉 🙌
adventurous
medium-paced
3.25
The MFC is starting to upset me but I still want to know what happens.
The MFC is starting to upset me but I still want to know what happens.
I enjoyed this book more than the first of the series. There didn’t seem to be as much rambling and repetition. I did not expect the ending, once again, and what a cliffhanger! Can’t wait for the 3rd book!
Spoiler Warning: This review contains mild spoilers for Nightbane and the Lightlark series.
I wanted to love this more than I did.
Nightbane is the follow-up to Lightlark, a book I genuinely enjoyed for what it was—nostalgic, chaotic, but with potential. Unfortunately, Nightbane feels like it stalled out. If this series weren’t a favorite of a close friend, I probably wouldn’t continue at this point.
When I say this book didn’t go anywhere, I don’t mean literally—yes, Isla regains her memories and makes a big choice with Grim by the end—but for most of the book, there’s no clear plot driving things forward. The stakes are fuzzy, motivations feel forced, and it reads more like lore-dumping than actual story progression. The backstory itself isn’t bad, but it lacks meaningful structure and payoff.
It reminded me a bit of Sunrise on the Reaping in that sense—not because it had no plot or purpose, but because it suffered from similar pacing and structural issues. Both books spend a lot of time building the world’s history without giving readers a strong throughline for the current narrative. Nightbane just didn’t tie it together as effectively.
The biggest letdown for me was the character work. Isla, in particular, feels like she’s regressing. Instead of growing from her experiences, she’s stuck in a loop of self-doubt and bad decisions, and not in a way that feels intentional or compelling. Oro and Grim’s dynamics don’t help much either—Grim’s secrecy and the whole “going to war to save Isla” arc just falls flat. There’s tension, but it feels manufactured rather than earned.
Honestly, this reads like a book that was rushed to market before it was ready. Similar to how Fourth Wing felt with its rapid sequel turnaround, but the difference is Alex Aster doesn’t yet have the experience to pull off that pace without it showing.
That said, it’s not a bad book. It’s fine. A solid 3/5 for me. If you loved Lightlark and you’re already invested, it’s worth continuing. But if you’re on the fence, this probably won’t be the book that convinces you.
I wanted to love this more than I did.
Nightbane is the follow-up to Lightlark, a book I genuinely enjoyed for what it was—nostalgic, chaotic, but with potential. Unfortunately, Nightbane feels like it stalled out. If this series weren’t a favorite of a close friend, I probably wouldn’t continue at this point.
When I say this book didn’t go anywhere, I don’t mean literally—yes, Isla regains her memories and makes a big choice with Grim by the end—but for most of the book, there’s no clear plot driving things forward. The stakes are fuzzy, motivations feel forced, and it reads more like lore-dumping than actual story progression. The backstory itself isn’t bad, but it lacks meaningful structure and payoff.
It reminded me a bit of Sunrise on the Reaping in that sense—not because it had no plot or purpose, but because it suffered from similar pacing and structural issues. Both books spend a lot of time building the world’s history without giving readers a strong throughline for the current narrative. Nightbane just didn’t tie it together as effectively.
The biggest letdown for me was the character work. Isla, in particular, feels like she’s regressing. Instead of growing from her experiences, she’s stuck in a loop of self-doubt and bad decisions, and not in a way that feels intentional or compelling. Oro and Grim’s dynamics don’t help much either—Grim’s secrecy and the whole “going to war to save Isla” arc just falls flat. There’s tension, but it feels manufactured rather than earned.
Honestly, this reads like a book that was rushed to market before it was ready. Similar to how Fourth Wing felt with its rapid sequel turnaround, but the difference is Alex Aster doesn’t yet have the experience to pull off that pace without it showing.
That said, it’s not a bad book. It’s fine. A solid 3/5 for me. If you loved Lightlark and you’re already invested, it’s worth continuing. But if you’re on the fence, this probably won’t be the book that convinces you.
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes