Loved it and am rushing to read the next one now! Can’t wait to see how this plays out! Thai did a great job of building off the first book for me and setting up for the 3rd!

I’m clearly just a glutton for punishment. I do not understand why I continue to go back to this series. I’m still not over “star stick” and find the love triangle to be insane in this series. Every time you think Isla has done something semi-permanent to choose which love interest, she takes it back and flirts with the other. Grim is the better written love interest so I’m rooting for him.

I also thought this was the end of the series only to be met with another cliffhanger and Alex Aster announcing 9 billion more books.

Will I continue this series? Sadly, yes. I’m invested now. Do I recommend this series? Not even a little.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This third book in the Lightlark series is honestly the best one yet, at this point we know the characters so well and the plot is really racking up in intensity. Our love triangle is still possibly the best thing about it but it’s hard to decide when the world building is so rich and well rounded. The betrayals and heartbreaks in these books are always so powerful and you never know who you can trust. I for one cannot wait for the next book in this series!

The audiobook was engaging and kept the reader paying attention to the story. The inflections of the reader was a wonderful addition to the story that added depth.

I loved this book but the story feels dragged on. Like we all know about the love triangle and we also know who she's going to choose, like it's so obvious.

Thank you to RB Media | Recordered Books and Netgalley for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Skyshade by Alex Aster is the third book in the Lightlark series and it was definitely not what I was expecting. Overall I really did enjoy this book. The first half was pretty amazing. The plot was engaging and had a good pace. I personally like her with Grim so I really enjoyed their time together. But the ending got really weird really fast. It seemed like there was one random plot twist after another. The ending felt incredibly rushed. So while this really wasn't my favorite book in this series, I still enjoyed it and want to find out what happens next. The audiobook narration was excellent. The narrator did a wonderful job bringing the characters and story to life.

In terms of the story: 3.5 stars for this book

The love triangle being drawn out was so frustrating but I did enjoy the spicy scenes. This book does end on a cliffhanger, so prepare for more books. I think this series so far has been interesting, but I’m just not the demographic for it. I am still interested in seeing who Isla ends up with but I don’t think I will be continuing on with this series.

As for the audiobook narration: I thoroughly enjoyed Suzy Jackson’s narration throughout the series. Five stars for the audiobook!

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia | Recorded Books for an Advanced Listener’s Copy (ALC) in exchange for my honest opinions/review.

I’m going to start off by saying that I did a soft DNF of this book (I got it as an ARC) because as I was reading it— getting further into the the story— it was announced that Skyshade was *not* to be the final book in a trilogy, but rather book 3 in a 5 (?) book series. This really put me off. The story was starting to get a bit tedious and repetitive, despite having a pretty interesting and engaging beginning. Then I find out that this love triangle is going to be stretched out over MORE than 3 books???? Honestly, I thought 3 was already pushing it. I liked Nightbane and had pretty high hopes for Skyshade… 😮‍💨

The plot came together and got a bit more interesting at the end… but that was after a million side quests, a lot of very redundant dialogue, and an unreal amount of “nicknames” for our FMC. Soooooooooo, kind of strong start?? decent ending??? exhausting middle.

Audiobook narration was nice— the narrator seems to have really found her comfort with the characters and various voices. Good performance.

Will I pick up the 4th? I mean, likely.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this audiobook!

First off let me say I do love this series so much. Probably one of my favorite in recent years.

I especially love Grim and Isla. And their scenes in this book were spectacular. Had me screaming and kicking my feet and giggling. They somehow managed to turn their scenes into a Christmas novel and I’m not complaining!

However I will say this novel did fall into a pitfall the previous books didn’t which is that the love triangle has outlived its purpose or entertainment value. It’s just frustrating at this point. I genuinely like Oro but I think it’s time to find a purpose for him outside of Isla and the love triangle. He has other friends and a kingdom to rule. I want to see more of Oro outside of Isla.

That being said I still really did enjoy the book and can’t wait for the next one. Alex is a master of plot twists!

And I want more of Grim and Isla with Winter vibes please!

This was....... interesting. I'm honestly not entirely sure what to think. I feel like a lot of this book didn't need to happen and shouldn't have. This series could've been a lot shorter in my opinion. I'm still ticking to it just to know how it ends because it will kill me if I don't. This just lacked a lot from the first two books. Lacked depth, lacked character, lacked MY interest, and lacked editing.... It should've stayed a trilogy because why is there going to be 2 more books??

Really enjoyed this one! I was a little hesitant because I didn't enjoy the second one as much as the first one. BUT this one totally caught up to speed. The love triangle was *chefs kiss*. It ends on a delicious cliffhanger and I can't wait for the next book!

3rd book for Lightlark. I was screaming the entire time. I love this book and this world and all the characters in it. I absolutely cannot wait for Oro and Grim's book later this year.

Loved Lightlark. Loved Nightbane. Liked Skyshade enough to get through. I'm glad I finished, even just to see how everyone faired in the battle to survive. Definitely a twist with long-dead rulers and portals to alternate realms. I just really like Grimm!

In "Skyshade" by Alex Aster, readers are plunged back into the tumultuous world where Isla Crown faces the aftermath of a harrowing battle at Grim's castle on Nightshade. The narrative oscillates between the past and present, revealing Isla's internal struggle between her forbidden love for the enigmatic ruler of Nightshade and her desperate mission to save Lightlark and its king from impending doom. As Isla grapples with the devastating consequences of her powers, she must navigate the blurred lines between friend and foe while deciphering the oracle’s cryptic prophecy. Amidst the brewing storm of a long-dormant evil, Isla’s decisions hold the balance of two warring kingdoms—and her own fractured heart—in their hands. Will she rise to the challenge and save the world, or will her actions lead to its ruin?

"Skyshade" was a disappointing addition to the series for me, primarily because it felt unnecessarily stretched to extend the storyline. While the first half captivated me with the intriguing presence of Grim, I couldn't help but question whether it was too soon for him to be positioned as the endgame. The narrative was riddled with plot holes, contributing to a confusing reading experience. Furthermore, Isla's character lacked depth and development, leaving me frustrated with her disregard for the only two individuals who genuinely care about her. Her journey seemed stagnant, failing to evoke empathy or connection. Given these issues, I am uncertain about continuing with the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Amulet Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is so egregiously bad I'm impressed how loyal the publisher is to Alex Aster. I do wish they would do her the favor of hiring an editor who will actually give her tips on how to improve. But hey, it doesn't matter as long as those TikTok views stay up.

I wasn't able to stay engaged with Skyshade. I am a mood reader and find at times, it's me that the issue not necessarily the author. I did enjoy the narration and for that I will rate this 3 stars with a plan to go back and try to finish when I am in the mood!

Thank you, Netgalley, the author, and RB Media for the gifted audio-book! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

This was good. I liked the previous ones more, but still enjoyed it. Love triangles aren't my favorite. If they are yours then you will love this. The characters didn't develop as much as I expected.

The first book in this series was one of the best fantasy books I’ve read in a while. Lightlark had it all! However as the series continued and I got to Skyshade, it felt like I was loosing interest. The story was repetitive and I didn’t feel the same sense of fulfillment. Hoping the next two books that finish the series wrap it all together and pick up some of the slack from this book. There is hope.

I love this book bc it’s like a why chose. You love both of the characters and can’t pick which one you want her to fall in love with and we don’t really have to chose. I usually don’t like love triangles but this book does it perfectly it makes you fall in love with both male characters

Thank you NetGalley and RBMedia for the ARC

Unfortunately this series it just going downhill for me. I liked Lightlark well enough and kept reading for the cliffhanger. I feel the authir does cliffhangers well, but fail to follow them up with an interesting story. The love story has run dry and is just annoying at this point.