A review by bookedbymadeline
Lightlark by Alex Aster

Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.
Let me start by saying, I tried to keep an open mind after all the drama came out last week. I really wanted to like this book because I’ve followed Alex since she first pitched the book idea. However the initial drama (not the review bombing but the critical reviews from ARC readers) happened for a reason. The book was so hyped and it’s not at all what was marketed and the writing does more telling than showing. This is the third Booktok book I fell for and honestly at this point I no longer trust  Booktokfor recs.

First it’s said to be the next hunger games-but it’s not. Granted I only got 50 pages in but it’s not giving off those vibes. Also said to be enemies to lovers-it absolutely isn’t; the “villain” makes it known in chapter 2 that he’s into Isla and he helps her within the first 50 pages; there’s no “enemy” about them?!

Writing is mediocre and pacing is all over the place. World building is almost non existent, where the realm names and character names seem to have no creative thought process (skyling ruler is named Azul; other realm names include Sunling, moonling, etc just adding -ling to all the names). “Cliffy, yolky, starstick” just some of the fun writing to look forward to in addition to her constant use of the word “thing.”

Next, we are just thrown into the centennial with no introduction or build up. No background on our MC or the curse, nothing. We are launched head first into the Centennial and then occasionally info dumped with world building aspects at random.

The MC is a total fucking pick me-I’m done reading pick me books. And I thought we agreed not to have creepy age gaps between teens and hundred year olds?! Why are all the rulers 500 years old and the girl MC is 17-20 (I can’t remember her exact age).

The Best reviews are from S and Siu on goodreads-they perfectly put into words how I felt trying to read it. But I encourage you to give it a chance on your own because maybe you’d like it. I just know from what I’ve read so far and what I’ve seen from the above mentioned reviews that the book won’t get better for me and isn’t something I usually enjoy in my books. I’ll end up hate reading it if I force myself to finish.
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