Book Review: Lightlark by Alex Aster (Book 1 of Lightlark series)

Book Review: Lightlark by Alex Aster (Book 1 of Lightlark series)

by The Book Pup on June 5, 2026

Blurb for the book (on Goodreads):

Welcome to the Centennial.

Every hundred years, the island of Lightlark appears for only 100 days to host a deadly game, where the rulers of six realms fight to break their curses and win unparalleled power. Each ruler has something to hide. Each curse is uniquely wicked. To break them—and save themselves and their realms—one ruler must die.

To survive, Isla Crown must lie, cheat, and betray. Even as love complicates everything …

My Review

Lightlark was really good and completely NOT what I expected! 🦊✨ This is a solid 4-star read that surprised me in the best ways! 🌙💫

This book is surprisingly tween-friendly! 🌸📚 I wasn't expecting that given some of the darker marketing, but the content is pretty appropriate for younger readers. If you have a tween looking for fantasy adventure, this works well! 🦋💚

I've never read anything quite like this in a way I can't fully explain (in a good way!) 🦉💭 The vibe is unique—it reminds me of Powerless but different? There's something about the combination of the competition format, the cursed realms, the island setting, and the magical systems that feels fresh and distinctive. 🐾✨

It's hard to put into words exactly what makes it different, but the atmosphere and world-building have this specific quality that I haven't encountered elsewhere. 🌲💫 Aster created something that feels familiar enough to be accessible but unique enough to stand out! 🦊💕

The love triangle was VERY unexpected! 😱💚 I did NOT see that coming, and honestly? It was good! The dynamics surprised me, and Aster handled it in a way that kept me invested rather than frustrated. 🐱🔥

The book is very intriguing! 🦋🔍 The mystery elements, the competition structure, the reveals about the curses and the realms—all of it kept me engaged and wanting to know more. Aster knows how to drop hints and build suspense! 🌙✨

The magic system with different realms having different powers is interesting, and the Centennial competition creates natural stakes and tension. 🦉💫 The world-building is creative and the island setting adds atmosphere! 🌸🌊

My only complaint: there were some filler chapters. 📖💨 Some sections felt like they weren't moving the plot forward or developing characters significantly. A tighter edit could have made the pacing even better. 🐾😕

Overall: really good but didn't change my life. 🦊💚 This is a solid fantasy read that I enjoyed and would recommend, but it didn't hit that "life-changing, all-consuming obsession" level for me. It's entertaining, well-crafted, and worth reading—just not a new all-time favorite. 🌲✨

If you love fantasy competitions, cursed realms, surprising plot twists, and unique world-building, definitely pick this up! 🦋💕 It's a fun, engaging read that offers something a bit different in the YA fantasy space! 🌙📚

4/5 pawprints 🐾🐾🐾🐾

You can find the book on Goodreads here!

Who I think this book is for: Fantasy lovers 🦉💫, readers who enjoy competition/games plots 🔥, fans of cursed realms and magic systems 🌸, tweens/younger teens looking for age-appropriate fantasy ✨, people who liked Powerless but want something different 🦊, anyone who enjoys surprising love triangles 💚

What you'll get: Unique fantasy world, competition structure, surprising plot twists, tween-friendly content, intriguing mystery elements, creative magic system, and something refreshingly different! 🦋💕

Cheers, and happy reading! 🌙✨🦊

The Book Pup

P.S. If you read this and can explain what makes it unique better than I can, please let me know! There's something really special about it that's hard to put into words! 💫🌸🦉