Reviews with content warning for Murder - Lightlark

Reviews tagging 'Murder'

readyforit's review

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.

Content Warnings

acbwalsh's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

2.5

Content Warnings

lkristin2018's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

natashareadsbooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

hobbit_96's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I liked this book a lot. I was hesitant because all I saw was booktok bashing it. Now I think their claims are based on the level of smut they want in a book 🙄

This is a great book if you want fantasy that has nothing to do with fae and doesn’t have smut/romance every other page. It’s a slow burn, but even who she ends up with was a surprise for me. I like how the love interests (it’s a love triangle of sorts but more two people like the same person) didn’t think with their lower heads (does Grim get a pass?) for most of the book.
The romance is subtle which I love, and not really the main point of the book.

I absolutely loved the plot because it’s refreshing to me and I was mad that the book ended in a cliffhanger. I want to know what happens!! Especially with Isla’s new…situations. Also, wondering if one of the male MCs will turn villain? So much to ponder 🤔

Content Warnings