One of my most anticipated listens of the year and it DID NOT disappoint! Skyshade continues the journey of Isla following the events of Nightbane. We see her grapple with her feelings and confusion revolving Grim, Oro, and who she truly is at her core. This book provided us readers with a mix of romance, action, HEARTBREAK, and twists! Seriously... the end of this book had me screaming at the path it took (in a good way!). Also listening to the audiobook added so much to this journey. I listened to the audiobook for both Lightlark and Nightbane as well. I couldn't imagine reading some of this book and not listening to it! The only reason this got 4 stars instead of 5 is there was a lot of content in this book, which I LOVE, but there were some abrupt cuts when going through the story which I was not a fan of. I just personally love hearing/experiencing all of the path and the journey. However, this book was an absolute treat to listen to and I thoroughly enjoyed this. I'm leaving this review with a final note... YES, I DID CRY!

This book picks up literal seconds after Nightbame (Book 2) and I love that. After making the choice to go with Grim, Isla works to navigate their complicated relationship where present Isla hates him, but her memories know she loves him as she is literally his legal wife.

She also fights what she knows is her destiny- having to kill her past or present lover.

She battles against the citizens of Nightshade not trusting her and thinking of her as a traitor. She agrees to go through a marriage ceremony again to try to show her allegiance even though she still longs for Oro and that part of her life. Also, she searches for a portal that could be the answer to uniting all of the lands again.

Oro finally enters about 35% way through the book when he travels to find her and make sure is okay when their bond weakens because of her cuffs. What could go wrong ?

I’m not a strong one person or the other but this book was made to build your love for Grim as so much of the beginning is focused on those two together.

The FMC continues to annoy me as she takes the route of pushing Oro away and trying to make him hate her. Their adventure comes together well on the end I feel.

I did get a little more confused than usual with like what happens if so and so dies, who else dies ? What realms / people of what group die ? However I was able to still enjoy the story despite this.

Spice level is again higher than what I’d picture for a young adult book- but all good with me as an adult reader. There’s like five chapters in a row about 60% in with no development but just them traveling to different places to hook up …

Plenty of twists and turns and an action packed ending, lots of questions. For some reason I thought this was the final book, but with that ending there’s no way!

Thanks to NetGalley and RBMedia for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 11/12/24.

Trying to control my emotions right now because i feel like im in shock. Holddd onnnn, whens the next book?? This one isnt even released yet and i NEED IT RN.

The romance and plot blend in so well with each other, its perfection. Imagine being told that u have powers that THREATEN THE GODS…

This was probably the best in the series so far! All the angst with the love triangle had me on the edge of my seat just waiting to see who Isla would end up with and how this all will play out. It does end on a cliffhanger, though, so I'm sure the author will be continuing on and I can't wait to read the next one!

"I hate you."
"Say that to me when you aren't moaning my name in your sleep, and I'll believe you."

😱 STOP IT! 🥵🥵🥵 I almost combusted. The heat definitely turns up some in this book, as well, and I'm HERE 👏FOR👏 IT 👏 If Alex Aster decided to turn this series into a "why choose", I would not be mad about it. I would not be mad at all.

The narration was pretty good, as well! The narrator does a good job of changing her voice for different characters, so you can typically tell who is saying what by the voice she is using.

I received a free advanced reader digital copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review-- and it was honestly pretty dang good 😍

I received an ARC audiobook copy of this book. Let me start by saying I don't usually listen to audiobooks because I feel like I don't absorb the book as well and the narrators voice can impact my opinion on the book. However the audiobook was narrated very well, I still did have some trouble absorbing and had to go back and listen several times but that has nothing to do with the book itself. The storyline is good, multifaceted, and I enjoyed it overall. The storyline gets more evolved in some ways, and we also do get some answers to questions that we've had from the previous books so that is nice. Without giving a spoiler, it does set itself up to have another book in the series.

hank you netgalley and rbmedia.

tldr, alex needs to buck up and have the balls to make this love triangle into a challengers situation.

you may be thinking em why do you keep reading these books if they’re always one-star-bad, it seems like you’re just being mean and that feels wrong to me. au contraire mon ami! consider this the goodreads equivalent of a letterboxd rating of one star with a heart. no these books are not GOOD, but i have come around on them in a horseshoe-theory-like way; they bring me great joy, which means they have inherent value. not necessarily quality. but value. it is on this very same logical ground that my best friend and i rewatch cats (2019) every christmas. write as many of these terrible books that you want to alex. the poet (me) will not avert her eyes. i will be here to slop it up.

three books in and i still cannot stand grim. if you feel similarly, i’m sorry. this is a grim heavy book. he grins, his eyes darken lustfully, every other chapter he spouts “romantic” lines that alex aster posts on her tiktok. the shadow daddy character archetype just bores me to tears. i will concede that he’s less domineering than he was in nightbane, he does fewer abhorrent things so narrative doesn’t have to try and justify his behavior. lowkey alex did you read my review?? honored if so!!! though this leaves grim with less to do in the book, far be it from me to complain about that. i think his prese bc e just repels me. chop! oro supremacy!

isla still behaves rashly and impulsively, as if we expected anything less from her, our messy queen. the stakes that are imposed on her are properly ridiculous. her life is a ticking clock and by god she will be fetch-questing her way to finding a workaround! she meets all manner of random people, creatures, groups who are not at all developed, all whilst contending with her own inner demons. one of those demons is being horny to the point of distraction. as to be expected

there is however the matter of her disgust and shame at her past actions that she thinks herself irredeemable from. this is juxtaposed with a “beast” within her that on some level enjoys killing people. i don’t think these feelings are very well explored, as they manifest in a me-me-me kind of way. isla doesn’t have any things about amends or justice or any restorative behavior, just an impulse to punish herself for her monstrousness. but wharver. we don’t come to this place for nuanced characters each with their own bespoke interiority.

the structure of both nightbane and this book is very episodic and disjointed; go find this person who has this information, go find this guy so he can answer that question, locate this relic so you can power up etc. par for the course. this is still a lightlark book however and there are twists that are taken without any setup, that are improperly foreshadowed, that made me start cackling like the joker. but i simply must confess my enjoyment of the whole rigamarole. therefore i don’t believe i can rip into skyshade on any ideological or moral-ethical grounds as i have previously. i feel no outrage anymore. i feel only a giddy sort of disbelief.

oh if you’re wondering about the smut and “spice” of this book, there’s full penetration. the language is not so direct but we have moved beyond simple fingering and dry humping. the girls and i placed bets on this. it might be prudent information to some, as i do not believe these books should be called young adult. but alas.

perhaps here is where i will make the case for “bad media”. many of my friends do not understand why i hold such affection for bad media. i love a bad book, a terrible movie (i have less patience for television, sunk cost and whatnot). many irritating film people online will claim that if a movie is loved, it cannot be bad; if it moves something in you, then on some level it is good. i disagree with that. i do not believe that quality and value are inherently linked. art at its core i believe should be expressive and connective. and by god the lightlark series somehow brought me to people i have come to cherish dearly. for that reason alone, i am glad it exists. see you next book you terrible series. i await.

I’ve had mixed feelings about this series: I liked the first book and strongly disliked the second. I actually did enjoy this one, but now it sounds like there is going to be a fourth book? That may be stretching this series a bit.

I enjoyed the adventure in this one. It was different from the other books and kept me wanting to know what would happen.

As someone who was Team Oro, I did wish there was more of him in here. Grim was highlighted, but it wasn’t completely focused on him which was good.

I also enjoyed how several missing pieces of the puzzle that is Isla’s life were put together. I hope Isla can accomplish her goal in the last book and get her HEA.

I did feel like things were rushed at the end, but maybe that is just me. I found myself looking at the amount of book left and thinking “there is no way all these things will be resolved by then” and I was right.

This was probably the best book in the series thus far. Completely worth your time if you’ve read the others in the series.

I listened to the audiobook, and while Suzy Jackson talks slowly (I speed it up to 2X) I think she is a great narrator.

*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.

thank you so much netgalley for this arc! (all thoughts are my own)

Shyshade is the third book in the lightlark trilogy and I personally was super stoked to see where the author would take this story. It starts off immediately following the end of the nightbane where Isla ends up back with grim and is trying to find a solution to keep lightlark from falling and protected from the storms while navigating the love triangle that is Isla, Grim, and Oro. Overall, this book did have some repetitive notions, and some cringe-worthy moments that also made the story worthwhile. While this is not my favorite book of the series, it does help move the story along and I am excited to see what comes next.

I am usually not a fan of audiobooks as well - which probably impacted my engagement with the story. I will reread the story once officially released. The narrator of this story I personally did not enjoy. Her voices for the characters would honestly make me laugh, and it was too slow - urging me to listen to the audiobook on a faster speed.

I definitely enjoyed this 3rd installment of the Lightlark series! I found that Suzy Jackson's voice felt so perfect for Isla. I loved the emotion she put into the story. As for the story itself, lots of action, tension, twists and turns! Can't wait to see what happens next!!

I really enjoyed this book! It was a captivating read that held my attention from start to finish. The story was well-paced, and the characters felt real and engaging. I’m grateful to the publisher for providing an early copy—it was a pleasure to read!

Skyshade
Best book of the series!! Alex Aster delivered perfection with every single chapter.
Isla is back in the kingdom of Nightshade with Grim while the other half of her heart lies in Lightlark with Ero. Her heart torn in two from the love she holds for Ero and the love she used to know with Grim, Isla sets out to find a way to save the people of both kingdoms without the price of everyone's lives. The prophecy says she is fated to kill one of these men and her heart can't bear the loss of life that will accompany it. Finding a friend where it was least expected, can Isla fight against an evil storm that is coming and find a way to not become a monster herself? Before it's all over, Isla will discover if she is meant to destroy or save the two kingdoms and at what risk to herself. That cliffhanger will get ya everytime!!!

This book was beautifully written and a perfect add to the series. I felt like a teenager again tossing back and forth between twilight book boyfriends but in this case Grim and Oroe. Although I was team grim in the first book this one swayed me to the sun king. Thank you so much for building this magical world for me to share with you. For those who have not read this series it really is fun for all ages.

Overall, Skyshade was a great read (I listened, which was fantastic!). I did not want to stop listening. I know I and most will read/listen to this book because we want to know who Isla is going to pick (team Grim here). Also, the action and storyline with twists kept me drawn in. I could tell that Alex’s writing skills have advanced since the first book. This book was my favorite of the three!

My one irritation with this book is that it is the third in the series and yet there is still vagueness at the end about Isla and her choices. I can tolerate this for two to three books, but drawing it out over three and spilling into a fourth book that makes you feel like you have to read the next book versus want to read it to know the main characters real choice is mildly frustrating. What I personally appreciate from other books is that, by the second or third book, the wish washy decision-making is finalized and the plot can really move forward. I am someone who makes choices and moves forward so that others are not dragged along, so it is likely that I struggle to empathize with the main character when she cannot make a final choice and her actions deeply hurt people. Yet, I can connect with her in other ways, such as trying to do what is best and making mistakes.

**I RECEIVED A FREE ARC OF THE AUDIOBOOK FROM NETGALLEY. THANK YOU A TON. THIS HAS NOT IMPACTED MY REVIEW IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. **

*NO MAJOR SPOILERS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS REVIEW**

"If choosing you over the world is wrong, then please consider me a villain. if waging a battle for one woman is a crime, consider me a criminal, if loving you if my downfall, consider me already on my knees. "

Well well well, guess who has two thumbs and was dragged back into the clutches of Ms. Aster's surprisingly addicting love triangle, and world. Me. Yes, that is right. I read this book solely because I could not live with unanswered questions regarding the prior book. I honestly think it has been a hot minute since a book has stayed with for so long, then I desperately needed to know how it supposedly is resolved. Aster's characters are just captivating in a way I cannot explain. Sure, her writing and the story is not her strong suit, but where the characters and where mysteries and surprises are intertwined? BAM, they snatch you up by their claws and do not let you go until you beg for mercy. And not. even. then.

I am so grateful i was able to experience this as an audiobook. it really elevated my enjoyment of the book, and the series. Perhaps if I had read these exclusively as audios, I might of rated my inital readings differently. But regardless, I went into this book thinking I would get my answers, then get out. And well...those expectations were shattered. Like...man, there better be another book. Because once again, Aster is a mastermind at those small hooks that keep you trapped into the story and release you only when they say so. My goodness...it is going to be a long wait. Aster better be be ready when the world reads this book.

Like so many others, I was biting at the bit to see who would prevail, Oro or Grim, and well, even Isla is still wondering that herself. Sighs...this is worse than Katniss with peeta and gale. Even feyre made up her mind pretty quickly, tbh. I understand why she has a connection with oro, he was warmth and safety, blah blah. And with Grimm, is he dashing, he is wild, he is life......and he is death. He is everything and so much more. But why cant she see that?

That is primarily Isla in this book. Amidst more small side quests, mysteries, and just dwaddling around, she is in angst over two men, while also giving herself to...two men. She do be strange. But I do like the new side of her that is evolving. She may have some fight and strength left in her. It will be interesting to see how it plays out when she does not have hormones at the forefront of her brain.

Guess it shall be up to the next book for her to make up her mind. Please for the love of everything, just choose grimm.

Remember, this is all my opinion. if you want your own, read the book when it releases!

Skyshade is the ACOWAR of the Lightlark series. So much of the world and Isla’s ability is opened up to readers like never before, and the action is brutal and intense. The romance is fire, but no more steamy than the previous books. The ending is absolutely brutal.

The way this book came after my heart and absolutely SHREDDED it is not okay. The prose at the beginning and end of this book is absolutely beautiful. The book immediately draws you in and will have you kicking and giggling your feet. Similarly the last third of the book will do the same and then leave you in gut wrenching devastation. The middle third of the book, however, albeit action packed, does not live up to the standard set by the beginning and end of this book.

There is not too much more I can say while keeping this spoiler free. I will say, I truly hope this is not the last of the Lightlark series. In the meantime to get past this devastating end, I will be telling myself everyone works together and it will all be okay.

2.5 stars rounded up. Spoilers ahead, but first thank you NetGalley and Amylet books for providing me with an ALC of this book! My journey in this series found me loving book one, book two had me semi confused but intrigued especially given the ending cliffhanger, and now Skyshade, which I thought was the final book (?), simoly gave a lot of whiplash. I could not a follow or understand a single action or thought by Isla. I get it, her heart is divided, but my goodness, she couldn't stick to one path or feeling. Every chapter seemed to bring a new twist to the story, and I felt it was too much. I would have enjoyed a smoother overarching journey both emotionally and from thr aspect of the story. The ending was giving Divergent vibes, and if this is truly the last book I can't say I'm thrilled with it.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
Skyshade is by far the best book in this series thus far, even though I spent about half of it pissed off at Isla and yelling at how she treated Grim.
Grim is a top tier shadow daddy and surpasses Oro to an insane extent. This ending was crazy and while I feel like she could’ve wrapped the series up if this played out a little different, I’m not mad that there will clearly be another one. Although, I do feel like this could have the tendency to be a series too dragged on if the author isn’t careful

3.5 stars. Rounding up.
Thank you to Netgalley and RB Media for an early audiobook copy of Skyshade.

** I highly recommend re-reading Nightbane as this book jumps RIGHT in from the ending of the second book**

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year having loved the first 2!
Overall this book was fast-paced, fun and full of twists and turns.

The love triangle part of this book I don't feel like was the central focus and it was more plot driven with the romance aspect being secondary to the fantasy quest. I was totally okay with this as there was SO MUCH going on!

Overall, I thought this book was great - the ending thought felt SO RUSHED and I was confused at some components on how certain jumps in the story line were made (which might have been that I need to reread book 2 then go into book 3!).

MINOR SPOILER BELOW:
This book is also not the end of this series I don't believe as it ended on another big ending that, while could be a finale, seems like this is a To Be Continued

Ummmmm Alex😭 I thought this was the last book in the series… how do I live knowing that I listened to this early and it really ended like that. As always I’m team Grim through and through. I love this series and I’m devastated in the best way. Also the narrator for this audiobook was amazing!

**Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)**

Skyshade by Alex Aster is a breathtaking, atmospheric fantasy that grips you from the very first page. The world-building is nothing short of brilliant—richly detailed and imaginative, with a perfect blend of magic, intrigue, and danger. Aster's writing paints a vivid landscape where every corner of the world feels alive, from the shadowed skies to the unique cultures and complex political dynamics.

The characters are multi-dimensional, with strong, relatable motivations, and their growth throughout the story is both compelling and rewarding. The protagonist, with her determination and vulnerability, is someone readers will root for from beginning to end. The romance, though not the primary focus, is subtle and beautifully woven into the larger narrative, adding an extra layer of depth to the emotional stakes.

The plot is fast-paced and filled with twists, turning familiar tropes on their head while still providing the satisfying tension and high stakes that make fantasy so addictive. The twists in the story are unexpected but well-earned, leaving you on the edge of your seat and eager for the next installment.

Overall, Skyshade is a captivating start to what promises to be an unforgettable series. It’s a perfect blend of high fantasy, character depth, and action, making it a must-read for fans of the genre. Highly recommended!