Cliff-hanger | Harker US Book Blog

Lightlark by Alex Aster
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ugh, Lightlark. My go-to birthday present to all my book besties. Let’s talk about it. The book’s premise immediately drew me in with its concept of an island that reappears once every hundred years, setting the stage for a dangerous game of deceit and conflict among century-old rulers striving to break their kingdoms’ curses. Picture the intensity of the Hunger Games intertwined with fantasy, a cute and steamy romance, magical powers, hidden agendas, alliances, and betrayals. The world-building and lore were very strong, painting a vivid backdrop for the story.

However, I must admit that the writing style left something to be desired. While some parts were super scream-into-a-pillow good, the overall flow felt somewhat stiff and forced at certain points. Thankfully, the quality of the prose noticeably improves later, in the sequel.

But don’t let the writing throw you off! The plot twists? Oh my gosh, I was NOT expecting those. They hit out of nowhere, and they hit HARD. I had to pause and reread parts because I was so shook. This book wins the gold for best plot twists against every other book I’ve read. Sorry, Agatha Christie!

And the characters? They were a whole rollercoaster of emotions. I was rooting for one guy, then the other, then both, then neither? This was a love triangle done right! This book puts a huge focus on the “romance” in romantasy, if you’re into that kind of thing, and let me tell you, the enemies-to-lovers and friends-to-lovers tropes were done right.

I usually never read books in one sitting, but for this one I did. I stayed up way too late reading this book. I’m talking past 1 a.m. late. I was so invested in these characters and what was going to happen next. The ending? Don’t even get me started. I’m still mad about it, and I doubt I’ll ever get over it.

In conclusion, Lightlark is an exhilarating rollercoaster of a read. It’s packed with action, drama, and romance, culminating in a cliffhanger that will leave you begging for the next book. However, I must warn you that the writing style in the first book may come across as cringey at times. Despite that, I wholeheartedly recommend giving it a read – just make sure to have Nightbane (the sequel) ready to satisfy your craving for more. Be prepared to have your heart thoroughly tugged and twisted! —Review by Kristiyan K. ’27

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Powerless by Tera Lynn Childs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A mark to determine it all: a Hero, a Villain, or nothing–like Kenna, daughter of the late head of the superhero league. Kenna is sick of living life as an extra, and as the only child of Dr. Swift, the superhero league’s most loyal scientist, she has the resources to work on her project–even if it’s not technically approved. She’s determined to make her own place in the world, come hell or high water, or (hot) Villians, or shadowy conspiracies from the Heroes she reveres, or kidnapped teenagers, or friends dating on the dark side, or missing mother, or… you get the idea.

The book is good, and has great potential as part of a series, however, as a standalone, it feels like it could use some work. While Powerless‘s exposition is folded seamlessly into the storytelling, there isn’t quite enough worldbuilding. At the end of the novel, a snippet of the next book in the series reveals some crucial details that the main character would have known (and should have thought of) during her long periods of questioning everything in the first book.

The requisite YA romance is impulsive in a way that is rather out of character for Kenna. It also suffers a bit from the “guy can ignore boundaries if it is to protect the girl, because it is romantic” trope. If the main couple’s relationship is ignored, however, Powerless is an excellent story with a realistic main character (even if the others are somewhat flat), an intriguing (if somewhat rushed) plot, and strong friendships. – Anya W. ’20

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