A review by gorgi
Lightlark by Alex Aster

adventurous challenging mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

i was not expecting to read what i have just read. what i imagined this book to be about was totally different and i loved it. Lightlark had me hooked from the start. i was drawn into the world and the characters and i loved how the story started and how the world was set out. the characters were well done and i loved how no character was just there for the sake of it and how every character played a role in the story. the world building was done nicely, though i do admit at times it was hard to picture where the characters were and what was happening, but for the vast majority of the book i was able to imagine where they were and what was going on which was really good. I've heard that some people have not been able to follow along with the setting and environment and haven't been able to picture it but i didn't find that to be a problem. it depends on if you are into the story whether or not you are able to picture the setting but i think that lightlark explained it very well and will shut down anyone who complains about it. the characters were also made immaculately. i loved how each and every character had their own personality, and they were all individual people and did not blend into one another. they all stood apar from each other and that made it really easy to keep track of who was who. i also loved how the book made me feel something for each character. it wasn't like i just loved someone and then hated the next and then the rest of the characters i had no thought on. NO! i had a strong opinion on all the characters, and it was amazing how quickly i changed my opinions. at one point in time i would be loving a character and then they would go and do something stupid and i would hate them. i found that the book was able to manipulate my feelings towards the character at each turn of the page. by keeping me on the edge of my set with how quickly the characters would change made me feel more connected to the book and made me a lot more interested in reading it. i loved the main character Isla and i loved how she grew as the book went on.

i would have loved it more if she actually had the curse because i would have been cool for her to have to kill one of the boys in her love triangle because of love, but i still enjoyed it how she faked having the curse and how she was different and didn't have any powers, until we find out in the end that she actually does have powers.

i loved oro and found that he was one of my favorite characters as the book went on.

when he does that little betrayal when she tells him that she doesn't have powers, i was furious at him, i despised him and hated the fact that i hate liked and trusted him but then when we find out he is doing it to help her and that he loves her, i screamed with joy and was soooo happy that my fav character was not bad.

i loved the plot twist in lightlark as well, i was so shocked and never would have seen it coming from a mile away. it caught me so by surprise i was even sad about it. the plot twist made me feel like my heart was being ripped from my chest.

when we find out that celeste is evil and not isla's friend and has just been using her, i was so hurt because she was one of my fav characters and i loved their little friendship. i was so hurt by the betrayal. i wish that had been written differently and that celeste was not evil but even i have to admit that it made for a great plot twist.

i really enjoyed how this book ended and where the characters ended up because for once i felt like everything i wanted was coming true, which made me really happy. i read this book in two days and if i really wanted to i could have read it in one, and i would happily pick lightlark back up right now and read it all over again it was that good.

now as i was reading lightlark i found a few comparisons to powerless and because of this i think it's why i haven't given this book 5 stars. for starters both powerless and lightlark had the main characters not having a power and they both had love triangles with the most powerful beings, and they both wore dresses to be different. but apart from that they were completely different books.

this book was so close to being a 5 star read and i nearly gave it 5 stars but the book is a solid 4.75 star read.

also just to add on i hate grim i hated him from the start and i don't get how anyone could like him and i certainly don't care if they have history. i HATE him. oro is soooo much better and to prove that he could use her powers to save her threw the love bond.... sooooo..... clearly oro is better. case closed. kill grim and oro and isla can live happily ever after. the end. 

i strongly recommend that you read this book as i loved it.

also one more thing. i love azul and when i thought he was bad i was also very upset, but he isn't and i love him so much and i would even love it if he was a love interest and the love triangle was oro, isla and azul. that would make lightlark a 5 star read

i shall shut up now.