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thejadylady's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Minor: Death, Murder, Death of parent, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Blood, Gore, and Torture
kinsportch's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Toxic friendship, Body horror, and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
thequiltyreader's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was a bit like the Hunger Games meets the fantasy world with a little less killing. Really enjoyable YA book that was a fast paced easy read. I was left trying to work out who was the traitor throught finding all had a good reason.
I listened to this as an audio book and probably my favourite narration to date. In particular I really enjoyed the voices she attributed to each character.
Ended on an annoying cliff hanger which is my main complaint.
I listened to this as an audio book and probably my favourite narration to date. In particular I really enjoyed the voices she attributed to each character.
Ended on an annoying cliff hanger which is my main complaint.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Cannibalism, Torture, Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Blood, Death, and Death of parent
becxaa's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol
readyforit's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? It's complicated
4.0
4⭐️0.25🌶️(one nondescript scene where she gets to 2nd base, pretty much uneventful)
I was promised hunger games with this book but it felt more like fantasy survivor to me! A group of chosen ones go to an island where they take part in various tasks of physical and emotional strengths, alliances are formed and broken, trust is betrayed, and the winner gets to be all-powerful.
I thought the first 7ish chapters were pretty slow due to world-building, but after that I pretty much flew through the book. I started listening to the audiobook alone and I just could not keep up with all the names and places, so I recommend a print version if you’re going to listen to the audiobook.
You have to be okay with isla being an unreliable narrator because she’s so naive, which isn’t necessarily her fault, but it leaves the reader in the dark and confused a lot. There are twists and turns CONSTANTLY. And when you think the climax has climaxed, you get more twists! I think this is a book that needs multiple reads to catch everything. It will be interesting to reread now that I know how it ends. I didn’t love how isla was changing alliances every chapter it seemed. She said multiple times in the book “___ is the only person I trust now.” And it changed every time a plot point happened. Like pick a lane.
I’m not a huge fan of love triangles and idk why they run rampant in YA books. Once again I see a lot of similarities with ACOTAR and Rhys/grim and tamlin/oro. Honestly I didn’t really see a lot of chemistry with either of the love interests! The story is mainly a mystery, with a small romance subplot thrown in at the end. I feel like it was done kind of poorly. Maybe I will feel differently after reading the next book.
I was promised hunger games with this book but it felt more like fantasy survivor to me! A group of chosen ones go to an island where they take part in various tasks of physical and emotional strengths, alliances are formed and broken, trust is betrayed, and the winner gets to be all-powerful.
I thought the first 7ish chapters were pretty slow due to world-building, but after that I pretty much flew through the book. I started listening to the audiobook alone and I just could not keep up with all the names and places, so I recommend a print version if you’re going to listen to the audiobook.
You have to be okay with isla being an unreliable narrator because she’s so naive, which isn’t necessarily her fault, but it leaves the reader in the dark and confused a lot. There are twists and turns CONSTANTLY. And when you think the climax has climaxed, you get more twists! I think this is a book that needs multiple reads to catch everything. It will be interesting to reread now that I know how it ends. I didn’t love how isla was changing alliances every chapter it seemed. She said multiple times in the book “___ is the only person I trust now.” And it changed every time a plot point happened. Like pick a lane.
I’m not a huge fan of love triangles and idk why they run rampant in YA books. Once again I see a lot of similarities with ACOTAR and Rhys/grim and tamlin/oro. Honestly I didn’t really see a lot of chemistry with either of the love interests! The story is mainly a mystery, with a small romance subplot thrown in at the end. I feel like it was done kind of poorly. Maybe I will feel differently after reading the next book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Murder, Death of parent, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Blood
Moderate: Kidnapping
lkristin2018's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I thought that even though Isla’s age wasn’t precisely defined, and perhaps she was legally an adult, having her love interest literally centuries older than her felt icky. Also, the curses endured by the various kingdoms were not at all in proportion to each other. One kingdom simply loses the ability to fly, while another one must regularly eat human hearts in order to survive, and will die if they fall in love. I find it almost impossible to imagine a society where people exist on eating human hearts. Even if a person only eats one a month, it means twelve other people have to die every single year of that person’s life. It just doesn’t feel sustainable. Yes, it’s fiction, but I can’t suspend my disbelief quite that far.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Death, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Blood and Alcohol
natashareadsbooks's review
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
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
4.5
Ilsa is a young ruler of Wilding - a realm of temptresses cursed to kill anyone they fall in love with. They are feared and despised. But Ilsa has a secret. One that no one can know. And she is heading to the Centennial a deadly game that is played every hundred years to try and end the curses of all the realms.
Ilsa must lie and cheat and even betray to survive... But each of the six ruler's coming into the Centennial this year has something to hide. Each curse upon the realms is uniquely wicked. And to destroy the curses... One ruler must die.
"And I don’t know what I enjoy more. Replaying the image of my sword against your throat . . . or thinking about how your heart might look on my plate.” Grim’s dark eyes flashed with amusement. “Careful, Hearteater,” he whispered, towering over her, standing far too close. “I might just give it to you."
So I have been in a reading slump for weeks now, again, and decided to finally pick up Lightlark. I love a good fantasy and shadow Daddy, so this checked those boxes. I didn't know what to expect going in, because I didn't know anything about Lightlark. - I don't read the blurbs or anything about a book before hand & just dive in blind.
But I loved this book. I loved how strong and fierce Ilsa was - she was a warrior, and stronger than even the best of the opponents that she was up against. While her secret could just be the thing that kills her, she didn't let that stop her or slow her down. She did whatever it took to try and save her people and the people she cares about.
She made allies & enemies along the way during the Centennial.
There was Celeste - Ruler of Starling, cursed to die at twenty five. Ilsa's friend she had made prior to the games. They kept their alliance a secret, trying to best not only their opponents but to break the curses.
Grim - Ruler of Nightshade, cursed to perish if they are outside after nightfall, and one of the most powerful people Ilsa has ever met- but he has his own motives and agenda that Ilsa can't figure out.
Oro - King and ruler of Sunling, cursed to burn in the sunlight. And he can't stand Wildings and all they have become.
Azul - ruler of Skyling, whose curse was losing the ability to fly, but willing to do anything to break the curses.
Cleo - ruler of Moonling, and cursed with the sea becoming deadly every full moon, but that hasn't stopped her realm from building ships and an army.
All of them have something to hide, and all will do whatever it takes to break their curses. Can Ilsa trust any of the other rulers in the games, or will they fail at breaking the curses that has plagued them all for hundreds of years?
I loved this story, this world and these characters. Although I did guess a major twist early on- it wasn't exactly as it had seemed. Overall, I enjoyed this book & cannot wait to see what happens next!
If you love fantasy, shadow Daddy's & high stake games, I definitely recommend picking up Lightlark!
4.5⭐ out of 5⭐.
1🌶️ out of 5🌶️. - tame, sexual tension, fade to black with minimal details.
Tropes:
→ ya fantasy
→ romantasy
→ Enemies to lovers
→ shadow daddy
→ trials/contest
→ forced proximity
→ "who did this to you?"
→ knife to throat scene
→ he falls first
→ love triangle
Content Warnings
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Confinement, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent
yuidf's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Vomit
spatterson7's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Minor: Alcohol, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Sexual content, Torture, Vomit, and Death of parent
izzyreadswhilequilting's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Death
Minor: Cannibalism, Torture, Violence, and Sexual content