Just finished the advanced reader audiobook and I. Am. Shooketh. Firstly, a big thank you to NetGalley and Amulet Books for allowing me the opportunity to be an advanced reader/listener to the Skyshade release.

Now, when I say this book will leave you questioning all the things but in a fun way… I mean it. I thought this series was to be a trilogy, but if that wasn’t a cliffhanger of an ending I don’t know what is. I am not going to spoil any of the details, but my jaw hit the earth’s core. Am I the only one who thought this was a trilogy? I see what you did there Alex Aster, you sneaky sneak, and I’m not mad about it.

I think it is exceedingly hard to keep momentum through a fantasy series. I’ve read over 350 books now in 2024 and the majority of them have been fantasies or fantasy series; so, when I say Skyshade holds its own in this already memorable series, I mean it. The characters keep the things you already loved about them, but somehow make you love and root for them even more as the tale unfolds.

The love triangle still stands, but while the plot from Nightbane was very Oro-centric, this book picks up right where that book left off and you get to have time with our dark and broody Grim, once again.

There are a lot of plot twists and turns throughout this book and it will have you guessing at what comes next and who is on the side of good vs. evil until the bitter end. Isla really comes into her own and discovers herself in this book, which is both painful and beautiful to experience.

This book makes you feel all the things, but it also has the same charm and wit that we’ve grown accustomed to with Aster. I’ll give you one of my favorite lines from Skyshade that is not a spoiler, but gives you a sense of what I mean….

“I love chocolate in a way that is probably concerning.”

Well, I love this world, characters, series, and book in a way that is probably concerning too. Suzy Jackson did a phenomenal job in narrating this audiobook, just as she did books 1&2. She really does an awesome job making you experience each character. Kudos. I listen to A LOT of audiobooks and not all narrators are created equal.

I think everyone who enjoyed Lightlark and Nightbane will also really dig Skyshade…. But be prepared to have your mind blown 🤯.

Thank you again for the opportunity to advance listen/read Skyshade. It was a privilege. ❤️📚

Skyshade
***ARC thanks to NetGalley and RBmedia ***

Skyshade picks up right after the disastrous conclusion of book 2, Nightbane. Isla awakens on Nightshade with Grim and she is broken and confused. She battles her two hearts, attempting to push away Grim’s affections (and her conflicting feelings) while longing for Oro, willing to do anything to save him and Lightlark. She is fearful of her power and desperate to understand the prophecy. She seeks answers to her destiny and as the storms intensify, it’s clear a greater evil looms and that she holds the fate of the world in her hands. Annnnnd, we all want to know, who the heck is she going to choose?!

Firstly, I want to touch on the fact that this is a very entertaining read (listen). The voice actor, Suzy Jackson, is a fantastic narrator and although male voices are always a tough sale with a feminine reader, it was done well.

This much anticipated sequel was satisfying -and frustrating - as only a story of an intense love triangle can be. Though not perfect and still decidedly YA in writing style and content (mostly!), it was still a solid read. It’s not deep or thought provoking, but essentially a light read of pure entertainment. Just what I needed!

The world building has improved and the romance took a little bit of a backseat to the story and that impressed me. (Don’t worry there’s still lots of steam!) I was happy to see more filled out characters, lore, and context but I still feel that it has a lot of room to grow.

Our MC Isla is not the most likable in my opinion. She’s of course beautiful and I think she is humanized on purpose to not be ‘perfect’ on the inside. That’s endearing but how it’s done rubs me the wrong way at times. I love that she just doesn’t seem to know how to give up and she’s desperately trying to redeem herself. I find myself irritated with how juvenile, illogical and lacking in confidence she is at times. By the end she is more confident and pieces might be falling into place.

As a side note, this was the first audiobook I’ve listened to of this series and I cannot stand the pronounciation of her name as Eyes-la. (Yes, I know that’s how the author meant it to sound but I just can’t).

Grim is his over protective possessive dark puppy-in-love self, with a heavy dash of slight her and die. He is desperate to make Isla happy and you can see how hard he tries. He’s still hot of course and makes you want her to choose him, what can I say.

Oro is his golden good boy wholesome love self that would do anything for Isla. He is utterly broken without her and desperate to have her back, and it pulls the heartstrings big time. He’s still hot and the ‘good guy’ and of course makes you want her to choose him, what can I say?

This book has lots of slow burn and tantalizing longing centered on looks and touches that stimulate desire, regular flash backs and direct allusions of spice. The spice is definitely written for young adults but the storyline is decidedly written for teens. The amount of semi-smut pushes the envelope for the teen audience in my opinion. Isla and her men are too horny and it shows regularly with noncommittal spiciness. There’s almost always some excuse or barrier to stop the spice, and not that I’m specifically looking for spice, it just became predictable and tedious for an adult reader as the YA label is on full display. However, there were spicy scenes where Isla fully takes charge of her sexuality and it was satisfying to see her make choices rather than avoiding them. Although there are few moderately explicit scenes, I have to mention this spice seems borderline at best for teens - but I sure liked it!

Now I do have a main complaint I’ve made with the other books in the series and this one is no different. I feel like the storyline jumps and doesn’t have great transitions. It is in the flavor of a writer still solidly honing their craft, and that’s okay.
Alex Aster has written a fantastic sequel and overall this was an entertaining read with room to mature. Of course we’re left wanting more with another cliffhanger. Here’s to book four!

I can honestly say I’m at a loss for words right now. I knew this was going to be good, but I was honestly not expecting it to be my favorite book of the series!

Isla really gave main character energy in this book, she was more confident, her powers were intriguing, and she is far from the timid, secluded girl we met in Lightlark. The world in this book was so well put together, and I feel like Alex really evolved with this book as well. Not that I didn’t love the first 2 books this one was just overall so much more well rounded. It was fast paced and there was truly no good stopping point to put this down.

The love triangle while definitely still there was not the main focus of the book, we got a lot more back story for Isla, lots of unanswered questions were answered. I loved the different characters we got, honestly I wish this book was even longer because Alex really just had me wanting more of even side characters, she really knows how to make you love them. The plot twists were done so well, they’re not anything I saw coming based on the last 2 books. I am so excited to see the world building Alex creates with the next book.

I honestly thought this was a trilogy so after the pain staking ending we got I don’t know whether I’m happy there will be more or devastated we have to wait. Alex truly put her whole entire authortussy into this book and I cannot wait to read the next book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, RB media and Alex Aster for the opportunity to read this pre-release in exchange for my honest review

First let me say I read this book in a little over 24 hours and I can’t describe the range of emotions I experienced within that period of time. By the end I was left speechless. The author does such a great job capturing Islas mixed feelings over Oro and Grim I felt the conflict for her ! One minute I’m convinced I want to to pack my bags and go relax on a beach while while golden god Oro massages me with his sun warm hands. Then the next minute I’m swooning over Grims declaration of infinite love for his heart ripper, because deep down every woman wants a partner who is still going to love you if you become a crazed killer ripping the hearts out of evil men and earning the name “heart ripper” because if that is what makes her happy go for it.
This so far was my favorite book in the series. I was expecting this to be the end but I’m happy it seems we will have another book coming.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to RBMedia for providing me the audiobook as an ARC through NetGalley, in return for my honest opinion. In this third book of the Lightlark series, we pick up right where book 2 leaves off. A journey of lies, death, betrayal, and love. In the first two books, Isla goes on quests with the two men she falls in love with, but in this book she finally goes on her own quest to find a solution to an impossible prophecy. Which man will she choose to kill to save the lives of many?

I think this book does a good job in tying in other elements from the previous books to give us clearer answers to everything that has happened. Also, the progression of powers in this book sets up for an epic ending to come. Because there HAS to be another book with that cliffhanger.
I think my biggest gripe is the whiplash I get with Isla indecision between Oro and Grimm. It makes her come off as very selfish even though her main goal is to save as many lives as possible. We’re 3 books in and she can’t give make a choice with enough conviction to let one of them go. I don’t know how much more of that I can take.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
***I received a copy of this as an audio ARC via Netgalley for my honest review ***

- Fantasy - YA - Love triangle - Third in series -

While Lightlark and Nightbane had me in a chokehold needing to know what happens next, Skyshade fell a little short in comparison. It felt like we were jumping (or portaling if you will) from one place to the next and was a little larder to follow along than its predecessors. Now, this isn't to say I won't be pre-ordering and reading a fourth book in this series if it were to come out(I have not seen any announcements of a fouth as of yet). Throughout book 3 Isla is still torn between her feelings for both Grim and Oro (I myself have been and always was #teamgrim ) while trying to understand the Oracles final prophecy and still searching for a way to save her world. As with the first two, Aster leaves us on a major cliffhanger, leaving this series wide open for at least one more book.

#skyshade #netgalley #audioarc #arcreview #lightlark

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC review.

I honestly have no words. I listened to the last chapter twice to ensure that I was hearing it right and am still questioning my life choices. This was the wildest rollercoaster ride I have ever been on. It has you laughing, crying, annoyed at some characters and wanting to throw the book. I am seriously questioning everything. This is the final book in a series but I feel like Alex Aster just ripped my heart out stomped on it and gave it back to me. I feel like her response would be sorry about that.

Isla finds out so much about her that she tries to find ways to fix it. I feel this lead to the outcome of how everything ended. I am just so at a loss for words. EVERYONE needs to go get this book so they understand what I am going through.

My goodness, I don't have words. I started Skyshade, with a couple of hopes -- that this book would bring Isla another step closer to the only man who I think deserves her and two, that she would find her strength and self-confidence to handle all that is thrown at her. Lets' just say, I'm still full of hope but also full of a lot of questions! I thought this would be the conclusion, but in the brilliance of Alex Aster, she's left me hanging on again.

The world of Lightlark is so vast; the relationship dynamics, have me begging for more. I love that she writes in such a way, that I feel connected to the characters and invested in their emotions and lives. At times, I found myself sad and grieving along with Isla, then not a couple chapters later angry at Isla and begging that she go a different direction. ;) However, you cannot say that she's not relatable and strong. We got to see such fierceness in her, in Skyshade and I'm desperate for more of her and this love triangle in the future!

I have a list of quotes that shook me and will stay with me long after this read. I can't wait to share all the quotes that had my heart entangled!

You won't regret diving into this series!

Thank you, NetGalley and RB Media for providing me with this advanced copy and the chance to be emerged in Lightlarks' world all over again.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alex Aster, and the publisher for allowing me access to the audiobook.

I definitely should have re-read Nightbane. It would have made my experience better. Overall, I did enjoy Skyshade. It did feel like a different series. There was a lot more spice in this one. I did like how strong and vengeful Isla is. The audiobook was great! I would highly recommend it!

Alex does it again! This book was amazing. I was able to listen to the audiobook early and I am so grateful to have been able to. Thank you NetGalley for sending me the audio.

I won't lie, Isla can drive me insane. I get where all over her reasoning comes from. And frankly she doesn't deserve either Grim or Oro. But I will forever be team Grim. The devotion that he shows for her is the sort of unhinged love I gobble up! Oro is definitely a swoon worthy good guy, but I like my men morally grey.

The plot twists in the book were fantastic. I did not see Lark coming out of all of this. I truly thought her cousin was the betrayer. And poor Isla had some hard truths to swallow this book. But the darkness within her only has you rooting for her more. It makes her feel more approachable within the book. The cliffhanger at the end has me itching for the next book already!

***Spoilers



Mixed Feelings



I was so excited for this book, but I don’t like the direction it’s going. Isla was insufferable for most of the book. Keeping secrets from people she supposedly loved and refused to see that’s what brought on most of her problems in the first place. At this point I’d hope to see some character growth but there’s little. At every turn she seems to make the wrong choice and refuses to let anyone help her. Going to other random characters more often than she asks for help from those close to her.

This whole love triangle thing is also pretty disappointing at this point. Isla willingly married Grim again and she still wants another man. If this is to become a “why chose” then we should have had a warning from book one. Not everyone enjoys books where others are torn apart because one character keeps hurting them. Telling Oro she left to save him thinking that would make him hate her is so naive it’s laughable. Grim deserves so much more. My heart absolutely broke for him as he watch Isla pine for another man.

Much of the story of Lightlark is drowned out by the drama of the love triangle.




Thank you so much NetGalley for the audiobook of Skyshade.

Skyshade, the third book in the Lightlark series, picks up right where Nightbane (book 2) left off, which is GREAT because Nightbane ended with the CRAZIEST cliffhanger (and might I say, this book is no exception to that trend 👀)! I felt like Lightlark was a book that establish the love triangle between Oro and Grim, book 2 focused on Oro, and now book 3 kind of focuses on Grim BUT of course, there is still interactions between all three and just Isla and Oro. There is a lot of back and forth between the two BUT this book seems a little less about the romance BUT more about Isla's growth (into herself BUT ALSO into her powers!!!)! And speaking of romance, I would definitely say that this book is a little more new adult than young adult (like Lightlark)!🔥
A lot of people are expecting this book to have the Grim vs Oro decision and if I had to, I'd say that I'm not entirely sure that this decision is made yet in this book BUT I will continue to look forward to the big decision to be made in the future!👀
This audiobook was very well done too! Lightlark was one of my FAVORITE reads of 2022 so I was SO excited to get early access to the third book in the series! My preferred format for this book was an audiobook and I am so grateful to RB Audio for an early copy in exchange for an unbiased review!💖

Thank you RBmedia for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this book and found it to be such a fun fantasy/romantasy read. Isla is a strong female lead who has really come into her own throughout the series and I can’t wait to see where book 4 takes us! I think a lot of people will be happy about the relationship dynamic in this book (and probably some that won’t be hehe).

I had the pleasure of listening to this on audiobook and enjoyed Suzy Jackson’s narration. I would love to see a dramatized recording of this series in the future.

Sky shade is book 3 in Alex Aster’s Lightlark series. I went in thinking this was the last book in the series and it was going to clear up things and conclude the series, but getting closer to the end of the book and the crazy cliffhanger that left me speechless, definitely proved me wrong. Now I’m sitting here processing and I have so many more questions. I’m super excited to what’s going to happen in the next book.


Skyshade starts off where Nightbane book 2 left off, it was a little slower starting off for me personally, but the 40% mark it started picking up. There’s a few plot twists I wasn’t expecting it that really grabbed my attention. Closer to the end of the book the faster everything started to picking up. The action was fast paced, it had me locked in and then BAM it was the end of the book which ends with a cliffhanger. I had to listen to the last few chapters again to process what just happened. The last few chapters had me mind blown trying to process what had happened. Now I can’t wait for the next book and see what happens with the story and characters.

Also, the love triangle is still there but personally I don’t feel it is the main plot line of this book. Isla is more on a mission to figure out what she needs to do to save her people and loved ones without destroying everything. I know a lot of people are driven by the love triangle but I’m so glad this book is more geared toward the actual story line and Isla’s self discovery learning more about her past and what she is capable of and the adventure along the way!

This has been a pleasure to receive an arc of the audiobook of Skyshade from NetGalley and RBmedia. I’ve enjoyed listening to this audiobook to review, thank you so much!

Skyshade is interesting from the first page to the last. The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger, so I can’t wait for the next book. This book made me love Grim even more. There is something so romantic about him. He loves her for her. Isla’s character development is fascinating to watch unfold. If you liked the first two books, you’ll love Skyshade.

I got the privilege of listening to the audiobook before the release. Thank you! As with the other two audiobooks Suzy Jackson does a great job narrating the book. Suzy’s is great at invoking emotions.

One thing I didn’t like (if you know..you know)
I didn’t get the one answer I so desperately NEEDED. I’ll have to trust the process even if I can’t wait for the definitive answer.

Suzy Jackson does an absolutely amazing job bringing this story to life. Her narration is fabulous! This book had me on the edge of my seat, I just couldn't stop listening. It's that good y'all! And for being the third in a series there was still so much fantastic world building. Diving deeper into the wonderful lore of the series was thrilling. And seeing Isla grow and come into her own was great. This one had twists and turns that I didn't see coming but I loved every second of it! If you like young adult fantasy this book and the entire series is definitely for you. I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for allowing me to listen to this book ahead of release in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ok. Listen to me when I tell you… I LOVED THIS BOOK! Although I’m sad I’m done I’m glad I got to experience more of Isla, Grim, and Oro! If you want a book that has the perfect amount of action and romance this is for you! It’s so different from the first two books in the series, and I personally loved that because sometime especially in fantasy series later books tend to die off or this plot gets dry. But this book was not that! I was loving every second of it!
So good and did NOT disappoint Alex you did it again!!!!
I can’t wait to get my physical copy because the amount of tabs it will have is going to be GORGOUSSSSS!!!! So yes all I have left to say is this book is amazing, and I don’t know what to do now because I was so sucked into the her world.———————————————————————
I’m not going to lie I was so nervous on who Isla would end up with and when Isla was hooking up with Oro I kid you not I screamed! But thankfully it was a dream! The relief I felt… I can’t even put into words. You know it’s a good book when the author does such a good job in making what the create make readers react outwardly in a certain way! So yes I was obsessed. Once I started listening I couldn’t stop! I’m trying to think of what I disliked about this book but I can’t think of anything. While it was annoying Isla still had feelings for Oro, I’m glad that was included because she’s not just going to stop loving him out of no where.

That cliff hanger!!!! I don’t know what to say I need book 4 asap!
But my over all thought of this book were positive!

I’m not going to lie I was so nervous on who Isla would end up with and when Isla was hooking up with Oro I kid you not I screamed! But thankfully it was a dream! The relief I felt… I can’t even put into words. You know it’s a good book when the author does such a good job in making what the create make readers react outwardly in a certain way! So yes I was obsessed. Once I started listening I couldn’t stop! I’m trying to think of what I disliked about this book but I can’t think of anything. While it was annoying Isla still had feelings for Oro, I’m glad that was included because she’s not just going to stop loving him out of no where. And yes we don’t know for sure if she ended up with Grim, but that’s the vibe I got from this book.
This book was so fun! And sets up the plot for book 4 with a bang!

Skyshade is the third installment of the Lightlark saga, picking up where Nightbane left off.
Readers are thrusts back into the complex world of Isla centering on her journey of self discovery, becoming the heart of the plot.
Isla find herself at a crossroads torn between her duty to her kingdom while also being torn between her intense and confusing feelings for Grim and Oro, each representing different paths for her future. With the future of the kingdom uncertain the stakes heighten dramatically. The looming threat to her people and loved ones compels Isla to confront not only her fears and personal dilemmas but also the implications of trying to change fate. The dynamics between Isla, Grim, and Oro highlight the concept of love and sacrifice. *Heartbreak is inevidaible.*
Skyshade had me on the edge of my seat, eagerly anticipating how Isla's decisions will not only affect her relationships but alter the course of the future. The end left me wanting more. As the chapter closes on Skyshade, it's evident that the saga holds much more in store, leaving us anticipating Isla's next steps in a world filled with uncertainty and adventure!

Alex Aster’s storytelling ensures that the emotional weight of Isla's experiences resonates long after the final page is turned, making it clear that this series is not just about battles and romance, but also about the connections and the sacrifices that accompany love.
The story keeps readers captivated from beginning to end!

Quotes:
“Following me?” - “Always”
“Love kills kingdoms”

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Tropes:
✨Love Triangle
✨Heartbreak
✨Fantasy
✨Twist and Turns
✨Chosen one
✨Prophecies
✨Romantasy
✨Angst

Special thank you to Netgalley and RBmedia for sending me this arc to listen to and review!

What the heck have you done to me, Alex?? I need to know if there will be a fourth book. If not, I will be left feeling like this series is unfinished. I can't find anything online about how long the series will be though. Grim never fails to disappoint, but I'm disappointed in her flip flopping because she very clearly has 0 chemistry with Oro, and Grim loves Isla but Oro loves the IDEA of Isla. Aside from the before chapters in Nightbane I thought this one was the best one yet though, and although I guessed the major twist I almost always do and I think there will be a fair amount of people that it will get. Overall, it was an enjoyable read/listen and I finished it in about 4-5 hours!

WOW - That’s it! Just kidding. In all seriousness I loved this book. I listened to it in one day. The ending had my heart pounding. I would pay to spend a day in Alex Asters mind. Skyshade is an excellent installment in this series, I say this because there has to be more! Like the previous books I loved the love triangle, #teamgrim. I will say that this book felt larger and higher stakes than the previous books. It was such a wild ride. Aster did an amazing job transporting us, the readers, into the world. Isla really comes into her own in Skyshade. She is such a force, we see her grow confidence and learn about her past. Overall the book was a fun and thrilling read plus Suzy Jackson did a wonderful job narrating and really helped bring the characters to life.