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Lightlark
La Saga Lightlark - Tome 0 Grim et Oro
L'amour anéantit des royaumes entiers...
Pour survivre, il leur faudra y résister.
Ce tome compagnon réunit deux romans inédits, racontés chacun du point de vue de Grim ou d'Oro. Apprenez-en plus sur le passé des deux souverains qui se battent pour le cœur d'Isla et revivez les plus grands moments de la saga dans ce duel au sommet.
Mais attention, votre allégeance risque d'être mise à rude épreuve... D'un côté, un Nocturne solitaire, tiraillé entre une passion destructrice et le destin de son peuple. De l'autre, un Solarien inflexible, déchiré entre son désir de justice et son amour pour Isla.
Alors retournez le livre et choisissez votre roi ! Duplicité, mensonges, conspirations et coups de théâtre qui rebattent sans cesse les cartes de cette série de dark fantasy... La Saga Lightlark, phénomène mondial qui s'est hissé jusqu'au sommet des listes de best-sellers du New York Times, est un incontournable pour les fans de Marie Lu, Marissa Meyer ou Leigh Bardugo.
Pour survivre, il leur faudra y résister.
Ce tome compagnon réunit deux romans inédits, racontés chacun du point de vue de Grim ou d'Oro. Apprenez-en plus sur le passé des deux souverains qui se battent pour le cœur d'Isla et revivez les plus grands moments de la saga dans ce duel au sommet.
Mais attention, votre allégeance risque d'être mise à rude épreuve... D'un côté, un Nocturne solitaire, tiraillé entre une passion destructrice et le destin de son peuple. De l'autre, un Solarien inflexible, déchiré entre son désir de justice et son amour pour Isla.
Alors retournez le livre et choisissez votre roi ! Duplicité, mensonges, conspirations et coups de théâtre qui rebattent sans cesse les cartes de cette série de dark fantasy... La Saga Lightlark, phénomène mondial qui s'est hissé jusqu'au sommet des listes de best-sellers du New York Times, est un incontournable pour les fans de Marie Lu, Marissa Meyer ou Leigh Bardugo.
646 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2025
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November 2, 2025
At this point I think Grim and Oro should kiss and work it out in the remix
UPDATE: I read the book, my thoughts are below, since you're already here
HOLY SHIT GRIM AND ORO ACTUALLY HAVE A REALLY SWEET BROMANCE!!! YES ASTER MAKE THEM KISS EACH OTHER!!!!
Anyway, this book was honestly okay. I didn't expect much new content going into it, but I guess I was hoping for... Idk a little something new? But the entire novella is just a split of chapters from both Lightlark and Nightbane we've seen before, just in the perspective of everyone's favorite discount Rhys and Vanilla Ice Cream (not hate to them though, I am on a team which we shall get to)
Erm, spoilers, I guess? But these only count as spoilers if you haven't read the first and second books.
OVERALL: 3.5
Oro: 3
Grim: 2.5
This book isn't so much of a backstory into Grim and Oro's lives and more of "what makes Oro and Grim thirsty for Isla," which is fine, if you're into that. I more so was hoping for more backstory content. The curses themselves are completely treated as an afterthought. They are more so explored in Oro's section, but even then, they're treated more as something Aster wants to get out of the way. In Grim's case, the curses are less than a page. We don't see much of the impact the curses create on the world of Lightlark, and then there's a five-hundred-year time skip. That's so much time we lost seeing how the world changed pre and post curses, and how rulership during that era impacted the newly young rulers Grim and Oro were. It was honestly a shame. And like I said, their origins don't fare better. It felt like Aster was rushing to skip straight to where Isla enters the picture (hence the timeskip), but whatever, we're all here for that anyway, aren't we?
The sections themselves...
Oro:
𝓕𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮. 𝓦𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓘 𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓪𝓽 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼, 𝓫𝓵𝓪𝔃𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓯𝓵𝓮𝓬𝓴𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓰𝓸𝓵𝓭, 𝓘 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓴-
𝓘'𝓿𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭 𝓱𝓮𝓻
Reading from both Grim and Oro's perspectives, I understood a little more why I've been Team Oro since book one (GRIM GIRLS STAY WITH ME NOW, DON'T IGNORE ME YET I'LL GET TO HIM), and that's simply because Oro is allowed to have a character outside of his obsession and love for Isla.
It's pretty obvious that Grim is going to be endgame. I think it's been made clear throughout the series that Oro doesn't stand a chance in this triangle (which just confuses me on why this triangle is still a thing, but WHATEVER). But because Grim is the obvious endgame, Aster actually gives Oro the better route and gives him... A character? With, like, interests and desires outside of Isla?
While the stories are pretty evenly split, we get about 25% of Oro's section before Isla. While it's not much, we get to see his relationship with his brother, Egan, how he formed his little friendship group of GAYS, and even his bromance with Grimshaw before the curses.
I liked seeing how he and Calder went from reluctant allies to friends, and Zed and Enya being goofy besties for Oro, which was what he needed post-curses. That little group was so wholesome, it made me bittersweet for the moment Aster will eventually kill them all. His brotherhood with Egan was also sweet to read about. Egan going from "my kingdom first" to falling for Violet and choosing her over Aurora was kinda glossed over, but even still, it broke my heart to see Egan deciding to give his crown to Oro when he didn't want it, knowing Oro becomes just like his brother 500 years later. If I'm picky, I would have liked to see more of his parents. His mother doesn't even have a name, which is odd considering how important she is supposed to be to him.
I will confess, Oro's sections with Grim were my favorite part. I liked seeing Oro come to the understanding that they weren't so different. Their chemistry was honestly so intense, I was waiting for them to smash, but WHATEVER. It made the eventual casting of the curses that much more devastating. Oro truly believed he was betrayed by his best friend and lost the last of his family due to it, even if we know it wasn't Grim's fault.
But even after Isla comes into play, Oro has many moments that really flesh out his character. He has friends, and they have a favorite game to play; he has wants that tie into his realm, and he's distrusting of Isla very quickly as a result. I honestly kinda preferred how Oro wasn't immediately smitten with Isla. It makes the moment he starts yearning for her that much sweeter.
"𝓘 𝓷𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓪 𝓬𝓸𝓵𝓸𝓻 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓼𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓪 𝓬𝓱𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓭𝓸𝔀𝓷 𝓶𝔂 𝓼𝓹𝓲𝓷𝓮, 𝓾𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓵 𝓽𝔀𝓸 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝓹𝓲𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝓶𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓮, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓶𝓪𝓭𝓮 𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓶𝔂 𝓷𝓪𝓶𝓮. 𝓜𝓪𝓭𝓮 𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓶𝔂 𝓬𝓻𝓸𝔀𝓷. 𝓜𝓪𝓭𝓮 𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓫𝓵𝓪𝓭𝓮, 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓲𝓷𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓼 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓶𝔂 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽. 𝓑𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓷 . . . 𝓲𝓽’𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓸𝓯 𝓶𝔂 𝓯𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓮. 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓫𝓮𝓪𝓬𝓱 𝓘 𝓮𝓼𝓬𝓪𝓹𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓲𝓷 𝓶𝔂 𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓶𝓼. 𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓪 𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓼𝓱𝓮’𝓼 𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓯𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓶.”
Can I just say? I think Aster's yearning is stronger with Oro. Don't shoot me, but his agony when it came to his realm over his love, not wanting to repeat his brother's mistakes, and choosing to be selfish, remembering his mother's words... IT WAS SO SWEET. He gives a really sweet monologue during one of his dreams about Isla, and the fact that he and Isla hardly touch and don't kiss at all in his section makes the yearning that much harder. I'm a fan of slow-burning, and Aster does it VERY WELL with Oro. He's just a gentleman of a guy, never wanting to overstep his boundaries out of fear of hurting both her and his family's name. Some people like their book men over possessive and don't care for the gentleman type. Not me tho, ya'll stay safe✌️ I like my book men yearning and pathetically desperate
As for Grim:
𝓞𝓾𝓻 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓲𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓽𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭. 𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝓸 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓮. 𝓐𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼
As I said, it's pretty obvious that Grim is the endgame. He's the preferred love interest, and I can't believe for once, being the number one love interest would be a downfall, because Grim doesn't have a character outside of being rock hard for Isla Crown.
Less than 10% of his section is dedicated to his backstory. We get a glimpse of his relationship with his little sister, Laila, and we don't even get to meet any of his other siblings. Some time is spent with his father (whose name I don't recall and refuse to learn), and the casting of the curses? Skipped. All of it. We don't even get to see his friendship with Oro from his POV, and maybe that's why Aster said to start with Oro's part. Because she wasn't really interested in writing anything about Grim's character outside of Isla. Because of that, his section is very one-note. There's another 500-year timeskip, and then the rest of his section is Nightbane (𝓖𝓻𝓲𝓶'𝓼 𝓥𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷)
Personally, I would have loved seeing how the curses impacted him, or even how his plan with Aurora was hatched from book one that led to him erasing Isla's memories. Aurora and the plot she hatched with Grim, aren't even mentioned! Which is a little insane. You would think his betrayal and whole book one arc would like, idk, be in the back of his head? But no, it's never brought up. He also knew Isla's nameless father, but he doesn't appear in the book either. What a shame. Grim speaks highly of him, but we don't ever see what kind of person he was. Or even WHO he was. Again, this whole section is just Nightbane (𝓖𝓻𝓲𝓶'𝓼 𝓥𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷) so we can just skip straight to Isla.
𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓬𝓻𝓪𝔀𝓵 𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓲𝓭𝓮 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓭, 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓼𝓮𝓮 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓶𝓼, 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓶 𝓪𝓵𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓼𝓲𝓭𝓮 𝓱𝓮𝓻. 𝓑𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓸𝓷𝓵𝔂 𝓲𝓷 𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓼 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝔀𝓮 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓪 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓹𝓮𝓪𝓬𝓮. 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓭 𝓹𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓷 𝓶𝔂 𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓲𝓼 𝓷𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓵𝔂 𝓮𝓷𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝔂 𝓴𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓼. 𝓨𝓸𝓾'𝓻𝓮 𝓭𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓼. 𝓨𝓸𝓾'𝓻𝓮 𝓪 𝓬𝓾𝓻𝓼𝓮. 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓷𝔂𝔀𝓪𝔂.
And alas, I understand further why I could never get alongside Grim as a character or LI. Because he is the canon, endgame option, he's forbidden from having a character outside of "Me want Isla. Me hard for Isla." It's the only emotion he truly expresses throughout his POV, and reading it starts to become exhausting over time. I found myself wanting to skip certain sections, because toward the end, it just becomes back-to-back Isla and Grim smut scenes (because this book is more adult than the series and Aster yearns to write Isla and Grim smut)
I found his perspective repetitive and exhausting. I started to get the picture a little more than halfway through, yet alas, I was stuck with 200 more pages of Grim talking about how rock hard Isla makes him feel. There's nothing more to his character outside of that. Maybe I'm just a little salty as an Oro girl, or maybe I prefer my love interests to be a little more than obsessive and posessive. If that's your tea though, that's your tea. Maybe because all his section is is Nightbane (𝓖𝓻𝓲𝓶'𝓼 𝓥𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷) and I've read Nightbane before, I was just bored. I like my backstories a little more layered, and my book men a little more fleshed out. But good for the Grim girls, I suppose. I think they'll like this section.
Overall, I think if you're a mega Lightlark fan this is for you. If you're a newbie wondering if you need this book, you really don't. All you need is books one and two, and then you're set reading quotes from this on Tiktok. It at the very least it made me interested for Crowntide, the inevitable fourth book where Grim and Oro will be reunited to hunt for their lost best girl. Do I expect them to actually kiss and work it out in the remix? You could say I'm hopeful for a rekindled bromance. One of them is on the chopping block in book five. At least Oro has a potential chance to shine before he is killed for the Grim show. Not holding my breath the book will be filled with more Grim POV's then Oro. So on the brightside, this book gave me access to more of his character.
And hey, you know what, I'll take what I can get.
UPDATE: I read the book, my thoughts are below, since you're already here
HOLY SHIT GRIM AND ORO ACTUALLY HAVE A REALLY SWEET BROMANCE!!! YES ASTER MAKE THEM KISS EACH OTHER!!!!
Anyway, this book was honestly okay. I didn't expect much new content going into it, but I guess I was hoping for... Idk a little something new? But the entire novella is just a split of chapters from both Lightlark and Nightbane we've seen before, just in the perspective of everyone's favorite discount Rhys and Vanilla Ice Cream (not hate to them though, I am on a team which we shall get to)
Erm, spoilers, I guess? But these only count as spoilers if you haven't read the first and second books.
OVERALL: 3.5
Oro: 3
Grim: 2.5
This book isn't so much of a backstory into Grim and Oro's lives and more of "what makes Oro and Grim thirsty for Isla," which is fine, if you're into that. I more so was hoping for more backstory content. The curses themselves are completely treated as an afterthought. They are more so explored in Oro's section, but even then, they're treated more as something Aster wants to get out of the way. In Grim's case, the curses are less than a page. We don't see much of the impact the curses create on the world of Lightlark, and then there's a five-hundred-year time skip. That's so much time we lost seeing how the world changed pre and post curses, and how rulership during that era impacted the newly young rulers Grim and Oro were. It was honestly a shame. And like I said, their origins don't fare better. It felt like Aster was rushing to skip straight to where Isla enters the picture (hence the timeskip), but whatever, we're all here for that anyway, aren't we?
The sections themselves...
Oro:
𝓕𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮. 𝓦𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓘 𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓪𝓽 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼, 𝓫𝓵𝓪𝔃𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓯𝓵𝓮𝓬𝓴𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓰𝓸𝓵𝓭, 𝓘 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓴-
𝓘'𝓿𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭 𝓱𝓮𝓻
Reading from both Grim and Oro's perspectives, I understood a little more why I've been Team Oro since book one (GRIM GIRLS STAY WITH ME NOW, DON'T IGNORE ME YET I'LL GET TO HIM), and that's simply because Oro is allowed to have a character outside of his obsession and love for Isla.
It's pretty obvious that Grim is going to be endgame. I think it's been made clear throughout the series that Oro doesn't stand a chance in this triangle (which just confuses me on why this triangle is still a thing, but WHATEVER). But because Grim is the obvious endgame, Aster actually gives Oro the better route and gives him... A character? With, like, interests and desires outside of Isla?
While the stories are pretty evenly split, we get about 25% of Oro's section before Isla. While it's not much, we get to see his relationship with his brother, Egan, how he formed his little friendship group of GAYS, and even his bromance with Grimshaw before the curses.
I liked seeing how he and Calder went from reluctant allies to friends, and Zed and Enya being goofy besties for Oro, which was what he needed post-curses. That little group was so wholesome, it made me bittersweet for the moment Aster will eventually kill them all. His brotherhood with Egan was also sweet to read about. Egan going from "my kingdom first" to falling for Violet and choosing her over Aurora was kinda glossed over, but even still, it broke my heart to see Egan deciding to give his crown to Oro when he didn't want it, knowing Oro becomes just like his brother 500 years later. If I'm picky, I would have liked to see more of his parents. His mother doesn't even have a name, which is odd considering how important she is supposed to be to him.
I will confess, Oro's sections with Grim were my favorite part. I liked seeing Oro come to the understanding that they weren't so different. Their chemistry was honestly so intense, I was waiting for them to smash, but WHATEVER. It made the eventual casting of the curses that much more devastating. Oro truly believed he was betrayed by his best friend and lost the last of his family due to it, even if we know it wasn't Grim's fault.
But even after Isla comes into play, Oro has many moments that really flesh out his character. He has friends, and they have a favorite game to play; he has wants that tie into his realm, and he's distrusting of Isla very quickly as a result. I honestly kinda preferred how Oro wasn't immediately smitten with Isla. It makes the moment he starts yearning for her that much sweeter.
"𝓘 𝓷𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓪 𝓬𝓸𝓵𝓸𝓻 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓼𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓪 𝓬𝓱𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓭𝓸𝔀𝓷 𝓶𝔂 𝓼𝓹𝓲𝓷𝓮, 𝓾𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓵 𝓽𝔀𝓸 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝓹𝓲𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝓶𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓮, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓶𝓪𝓭𝓮 𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓶𝔂 𝓷𝓪𝓶𝓮. 𝓜𝓪𝓭𝓮 𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓶𝔂 𝓬𝓻𝓸𝔀𝓷. 𝓜𝓪𝓭𝓮 𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓫𝓵𝓪𝓭𝓮, 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓲𝓷𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓼 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓶𝔂 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽. 𝓑𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓷 . . . 𝓲𝓽’𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓸𝓯 𝓶𝔂 𝓯𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓮. 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓫𝓮𝓪𝓬𝓱 𝓘 𝓮𝓼𝓬𝓪𝓹𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓲𝓷 𝓶𝔂 𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓶𝓼. 𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓪 𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓼𝓱𝓮’𝓼 𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓯𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓶.”
Can I just say? I think Aster's yearning is stronger with Oro. Don't shoot me, but his agony when it came to his realm over his love, not wanting to repeat his brother's mistakes, and choosing to be selfish, remembering his mother's words... IT WAS SO SWEET. He gives a really sweet monologue during one of his dreams about Isla, and the fact that he and Isla hardly touch and don't kiss at all in his section makes the yearning that much harder. I'm a fan of slow-burning, and Aster does it VERY WELL with Oro. He's just a gentleman of a guy, never wanting to overstep his boundaries out of fear of hurting both her and his family's name. Some people like their book men over possessive and don't care for the gentleman type. Not me tho, ya'll stay safe✌️ I like my book men yearning and pathetically desperate
As for Grim:
𝓞𝓾𝓻 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓲𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓽𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭. 𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝓸 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓮. 𝓐𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼
As I said, it's pretty obvious that Grim is the endgame. He's the preferred love interest, and I can't believe for once, being the number one love interest would be a downfall, because Grim doesn't have a character outside of being rock hard for Isla Crown.
Less than 10% of his section is dedicated to his backstory. We get a glimpse of his relationship with his little sister, Laila, and we don't even get to meet any of his other siblings. Some time is spent with his father (whose name I don't recall and refuse to learn), and the casting of the curses? Skipped. All of it. We don't even get to see his friendship with Oro from his POV, and maybe that's why Aster said to start with Oro's part. Because she wasn't really interested in writing anything about Grim's character outside of Isla. Because of that, his section is very one-note. There's another 500-year timeskip, and then the rest of his section is Nightbane (𝓖𝓻𝓲𝓶'𝓼 𝓥𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷)
Personally, I would have loved seeing how the curses impacted him, or even how his plan with Aurora was hatched from book one that led to him erasing Isla's memories. Aurora and the plot she hatched with Grim, aren't even mentioned! Which is a little insane. You would think his betrayal and whole book one arc would like, idk, be in the back of his head? But no, it's never brought up. He also knew Isla's nameless father, but he doesn't appear in the book either. What a shame. Grim speaks highly of him, but we don't ever see what kind of person he was. Or even WHO he was. Again, this whole section is just Nightbane (𝓖𝓻𝓲𝓶'𝓼 𝓥𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷) so we can just skip straight to Isla.
𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓬𝓻𝓪𝔀𝓵 𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓲𝓭𝓮 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓭, 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓼𝓮𝓮 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓶𝓼, 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓶 𝓪𝓵𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓼𝓲𝓭𝓮 𝓱𝓮𝓻. 𝓑𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓸𝓷𝓵𝔂 𝓲𝓷 𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓼 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝔀𝓮 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓪 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓹𝓮𝓪𝓬𝓮. 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓭 𝓹𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓷 𝓶𝔂 𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓲𝓼 𝓷𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓵𝔂 𝓮𝓷𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓶𝔂 𝓴𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓼. 𝓨𝓸𝓾'𝓻𝓮 𝓭𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓼. 𝓨𝓸𝓾'𝓻𝓮 𝓪 𝓬𝓾𝓻𝓼𝓮. 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓷𝔂𝔀𝓪𝔂.
And alas, I understand further why I could never get alongside Grim as a character or LI. Because he is the canon, endgame option, he's forbidden from having a character outside of "Me want Isla. Me hard for Isla." It's the only emotion he truly expresses throughout his POV, and reading it starts to become exhausting over time. I found myself wanting to skip certain sections, because toward the end, it just becomes back-to-back Isla and Grim smut scenes (because this book is more adult than the series and Aster yearns to write Isla and Grim smut)
I found his perspective repetitive and exhausting. I started to get the picture a little more than halfway through, yet alas, I was stuck with 200 more pages of Grim talking about how rock hard Isla makes him feel. There's nothing more to his character outside of that. Maybe I'm just a little salty as an Oro girl, or maybe I prefer my love interests to be a little more than obsessive and posessive. If that's your tea though, that's your tea. Maybe because all his section is is Nightbane (𝓖𝓻𝓲𝓶'𝓼 𝓥𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷) and I've read Nightbane before, I was just bored. I like my backstories a little more layered, and my book men a little more fleshed out. But good for the Grim girls, I suppose. I think they'll like this section.
Overall, I think if you're a mega Lightlark fan this is for you. If you're a newbie wondering if you need this book, you really don't. All you need is books one and two, and then you're set reading quotes from this on Tiktok. It at the very least it made me interested for Crowntide, the inevitable fourth book where Grim and Oro will be reunited to hunt for their lost best girl. Do I expect them to actually kiss and work it out in the remix? You could say I'm hopeful for a rekindled bromance. One of them is on the chopping block in book five. At least Oro has a potential chance to shine before he is killed for the Grim show. Not holding my breath the book will be filled with more Grim POV's then Oro. So on the brightside, this book gave me access to more of his character.
And hey, you know what, I'll take what I can get.
Currently reading
February 14, 2025FINALLY THE ORO GIRLIES WILL BE FED !!!!!!!!
November 4, 2025
✧*̥˚ 4.5 Stars *̥˚✧
Oro - 4 Stars
As a diehard Grim fan, I just had to grit my teeth and push through with Oro. He's nice and all, but I honestly think he should get with Azul 🫣 Oro just batted his eyelashes at Isla the whole time, though I did appreciate the context of what he was thinking during the Centennial.
Grim - 5 STARS 😍
LISTEN UP! Shadow Daddy had made his triumphant return, and HAVE MERCY 🥵🥵🥵 MISS ASTER YOU ARE RAMPING UP THE SPICE 😻 I am here for this era. Crowntide better be smutty af. Grim was everything I wanted 👅 and can we just backtrack to the spice tho. My thighs divorced multiple times. Isla is one lucky girl bc like I think they did it over 10+ times in the duration of the 200 pages 😍
thank you, Alex, for blessing my eyeballs with a gorgeous book and an even more gorgeous shadow daddy 😼 I am patiently awaiting Crowntide :3333
Update 10/2:
I'VE STARTED READING >:D
(chaotic pre-read notes:)
Hand it over Mrs. Aster. I WILL NOT HESITATE to break into whatever publishing company you write under, steal a copy, and burn the rest so I can read it first 👹🔪
#countingthedaystillrelease cause Grim better serve and leave no crumbs.
Also the cover?!? Stunning and gorgeous, unlike my receding bank account that has funds reserved for this 👁👅👁
Oro - 4 Stars
As a diehard Grim fan, I just had to grit my teeth and push through with Oro. He's nice and all, but I honestly think he should get with Azul 🫣 Oro just batted his eyelashes at Isla the whole time, though I did appreciate the context of what he was thinking during the Centennial.
Grim - 5 STARS 😍
LISTEN UP! Shadow Daddy had made his triumphant return, and HAVE MERCY 🥵🥵🥵 MISS ASTER YOU ARE RAMPING UP THE SPICE 😻 I am here for this era. Crowntide better be smutty af. Grim was everything I wanted 👅 and can we just backtrack to the spice tho. My thighs divorced multiple times. Isla is one lucky girl bc like I think they did it over 10+ times in the duration of the 200 pages 😍
thank you, Alex, for blessing my eyeballs with a gorgeous book and an even more gorgeous shadow daddy 😼 I am patiently awaiting Crowntide :3333
Update 10/2:
I'VE STARTED READING >:D
(chaotic pre-read notes:)
Hand it over Mrs. Aster. I WILL NOT HESITATE to break into whatever publishing company you write under, steal a copy, and burn the rest so I can read it first 👹🔪
#countingthedaystillrelease cause Grim better serve and leave no crumbs.
Also the cover?!? Stunning and gorgeous, unlike my receding bank account that has funds reserved for this 👁👅👁
December 31, 2025
3 Stars! ★ ★ ★
(Spoiler-free) ⊹₊⟡⋆
જ⁀➴ "𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙬𝙖𝙮. 𝙄𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙙𝙤 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨." 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙮, 𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄'𝙢 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙮.
"𝙄 𝙙𝙤 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙡."
𝙄 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣'𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙧.
♪ 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦,
𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘴
𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘺 ♪
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺
~𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘺
:𝘛𝘢𝘺𝘭𝘰𝘳 𝘚𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘵
I’ve grown to connect with these characters, and at this point even while not enjoying majority of this series I of course HAVE to know who Isla picks in this love triangle 🛐
I started with reading Oro’s pov first then Grim’s, but I did enjoy Oro’s a bit more🙈
While Grim’s pov was PERFECT and him and Isla’s tension is just undefeated, Oro’s YEARNING is so different and so much more tender 😭💛
And even seeing Oro’s and Grim’s history before Isla??? Immediately SAT. I loved loved the way it was written 🥲👏🏼
Though the way Alex Aster marketed this book:
“Going back and forth on teams for 500 pages straight”
Is 100% accurate. 💯
The writing is beautiful I won’t deny, though it did get a bit repetitive at times which is the only reason why I gave it the 3 star rating!
Though I still am excited to read Crowntide and hopefully get some questions answered 🫣
____________
⭐️Rating: 3/5
📚Age Rating: 16+
🔥Spice: 3/5 (a little excessive haha 😭)
🎧Playlist:
~The Prophecy~Taylor Swift
~The Great War~Taylor Swift
~Look What You Made Me Do~Taylor Swift
~So It Goes…~Taylor Swift
~Fresh Out The Slammer~Taylor Swift
~It All Comes Back~Lord Huron
🖤💛Pre-read:
500 pages of yearning and going back and forth between teams?
YES MA’AM, SAY LESS🏃♀️🎀🙂↕️
(Spoiler-free) ⊹₊⟡⋆
જ⁀➴ "𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙬𝙖𝙮. 𝙄𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙙𝙤 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨." 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙮, 𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄'𝙢 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙮.
"𝙄 𝙙𝙤 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙡."
𝙄 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣'𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙧.
♪ 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦,
𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘴
𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘺 ♪
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺
~𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘺
:𝘛𝘢𝘺𝘭𝘰𝘳 𝘚𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘵
I’ve grown to connect with these characters, and at this point even while not enjoying majority of this series I of course HAVE to know who Isla picks in this love triangle 🛐
I started with reading Oro’s pov first then Grim’s, but I did enjoy Oro’s a bit more🙈
While Grim’s pov was PERFECT and him and Isla’s tension is just undefeated, Oro’s YEARNING is so different and so much more tender 😭💛
And even seeing Oro’s and Grim’s history before Isla??? Immediately SAT. I loved loved the way it was written 🥲👏🏼
Though the way Alex Aster marketed this book:
“Going back and forth on teams for 500 pages straight”
Is 100% accurate. 💯
The writing is beautiful I won’t deny, though it did get a bit repetitive at times which is the only reason why I gave it the 3 star rating!
Though I still am excited to read Crowntide and hopefully get some questions answered 🫣
____________
⭐️Rating: 3/5
📚Age Rating: 16+
🔥Spice: 3/5 (a little excessive haha 😭)
🎧Playlist:
~The Prophecy~Taylor Swift
~The Great War~Taylor Swift
~Look What You Made Me Do~Taylor Swift
~So It Goes…~Taylor Swift
~Fresh Out The Slammer~Taylor Swift
~It All Comes Back~Lord Huron
🖤💛Pre-read:
500 pages of yearning and going back and forth between teams?
YES MA’AM, SAY LESS🏃♀️🎀🙂↕️
October 5, 2025
4.25✨
Overall - really enjoyed this. I love this edition a lot and I wish more novellas were like this. This formula is amazing. Alex Aster’s writing is really improving and Grim is PERFECT.
——•Oro ~3.75✨
« For those who find summer in the depths of winter. »
The meetings with Calder & Grim were my favourite parts of this book. Calder is everything. Honestly, this whole part gave me chills.
« We are not defined by our lineage. »
I was finally able to figure out what’s bothering me with Oro & Isla’s relationship… and it’s the fact that it all feels like a big crush. He’s a bit self righteous and his obsession with her green eyes was sending me up a wall. But some parts were cute.
« Cycles can always break. New generations give new hope, do they not? »
——•Grim ~ 5✨
« For those who find stars in darkness. »
ON MY KNEES. PLEASE. THIS MAN >>>>
His childhood made me cry… it was just so sad. I connected with a few things in his storyline and I’m happy we got more insight into his character. I also always find solace in the stars, I loved reading about this.
« There is a world out there, and those stars… they felt like a promise of better days to come. »
Grim & Isla are 🔥😭😭 please, that man is perfect.
The tension & the yearning had me on my knees. « You and me… we’re infinite. »
❤️🔥 « I will choose you over the world, every single time. Call me a villain. Call me a monster. Just let me call you mine. »
EXCUSE ME !!!!!!!!!
Overall - really enjoyed this. I love this edition a lot and I wish more novellas were like this. This formula is amazing. Alex Aster’s writing is really improving and Grim is PERFECT.
——•Oro ~3.75✨
« For those who find summer in the depths of winter. »
The meetings with Calder & Grim were my favourite parts of this book. Calder is everything. Honestly, this whole part gave me chills.
« We are not defined by our lineage. »
I was finally able to figure out what’s bothering me with Oro & Isla’s relationship… and it’s the fact that it all feels like a big crush. He’s a bit self righteous and his obsession with her green eyes was sending me up a wall. But some parts were cute.
« Cycles can always break. New generations give new hope, do they not? »
——•Grim ~ 5✨
« For those who find stars in darkness. »
ON MY KNEES. PLEASE. THIS MAN >>>>
His childhood made me cry… it was just so sad. I connected with a few things in his storyline and I’m happy we got more insight into his character. I also always find solace in the stars, I loved reading about this.
« There is a world out there, and those stars… they felt like a promise of better days to come. »
Grim & Isla are 🔥😭😭 please, that man is perfect.
The tension & the yearning had me on my knees. « You and me… we’re infinite. »
❤️🔥 « I will choose you over the world, every single time. Call me a villain. Call me a monster. Just let me call you mine. »
EXCUSE ME !!!!!!!!!
October 21, 2025
spoilers i fuckin guess. of course i had to tune in
miss alex aster is promoting this book on her socials with a “you’re gonna switch sides” kind of tone and let me be the first to say: no i haven’t LMFAODHSJ. i’ve always genuinely disliked grim, making me team oro by default (i guess) and the book has done NOTHING to dissuade me!!!!!
it’s crazy we’re all still carrying on the charade that isla’s love triangle is anything but already determined. continuing to pretend is akin to telling the naked emperor striding about the castle how wonderful he looks in his new clothes. it’s going to be grim and we all know it. if by some miracle over the mojave it isn’t, i will go live on twitch and take a bite of my hat, my favorite pink romcom baseball cap from super yaki. i am that confident. it’s going to be grim and i take no joy in the fact.
as primarily a fantasy reader, more than anything i was hoping these novellas would provide some much needed clarity to the story world, further emotional context re the original curse-casting, maybe addressing the pocket dimension stuff introduced in book 2, some insight of how the world was before isla crown existed in it (oh the horror) nd etc. unfortunately, we learn precious little.
in case anyone who’s not a lightlark scholar forgot, the original curses were cast by the starling ruler aurora, using the Heart of Lightlark (don’t worry about it) that she asked grim to find and unlock for her. she appeared to him (shapeshifted) as a wildling woman. grim, led by his libido, unknowingly did this for her. he did not know the extent of what she was planning. she did this because she learned that her fiancé egan (oro’s older brother, the then-king) was cheating on her with violet (wildling ruler, aurora’s best friend). these facts are all established in book 1. in my infinite foolishness, i hoped we’d see this event from grim’s perspective, maybe see him and aurora interacting, how and why he was seduced by her and the like. we do not see ANY of this. curse night is covered in approx three sentences, probably because we cannot see him intimate with anyone other than isla. to that end–
yall. most of grim's fucxkin novella is just his pov of the nightbane flashbacks!!!!!!!!!! i’m not exaggerating, i’m not misrepresenting it, i am speaking TRUE. we see grim’s life before meeting isla for FIVE MEASLY SECTIONS. there is a FIVE HUNDRED year time jump then it’s literally just nightbane (grim’s version).
(side note, it felt like he was constantly erect during his narration. nearly every section he remarks how rock-hard aroused isla makes him feel. his boner is the most important character in every scene. he’s never been this turned on in his life. his tent? pitched. bricked the fuck up. what’s harder than a diamond? this guy.)
(if you found this section unpleasant, imagine reading it constantly and without reprieve, as you’re simultaneously reminded of every stupid awful plot point from book 2, the worst one).
grim has some moments of startling clarity in this. more than once he recognizes that he does not in fact possess isla body and soul, but doesn’t interrogate his feelings and impulses because he cannot control how he feels. oh well. whaddayagunnado
in oro’s novella i got a little bit of the lore i so desperately craved. we meet his lovely mom (unnamed) and see his fairly sweet relationship with egan. we see how he gets his little gay (/complimentary) squad together and their regular hangout activities. we learn some of oro and grim’s shared history, that they were friends actually for a little and it was really nice!!! honestly it’s very challengers 2024. much more pleasant than grim and his book 2 permaboner.
however, i must never be allowed to have too much fun. curse night comes around. oro isn’t present when it happens and we only experience the emotional fallout in broad strokes before we are yet again flung 500 years into the future as the centennial plot of book 1 starts. perhaps alex aster believes it constitutes parity of perspectives.
yet there are subtle ways that aster favors grim. we’re solidly oriented in time with grim, we learn his age in relation to major events, we know how many years pass between early chapters when she deigns to tell us. we’re in his direct perspective when he’s a child experiencing all the abuses and cruelty of his father.
oro’s defining childhood traumatic accident (midas touching a kindly palace worker, this being the only time his shitty dad positively encourages him) is only reminisced upon. we are not in his head for the event itself. at some point he begins training for an indeterminate number of years across every section of lightlark. we simply don’t know how old he is. we don’t know how long he trains. we don’t even see his training for two of the isles (starling and skyling, obviously alex aster’s least favorite toys) before we’re dumped into lightlark (oro’s version).
the way that at least grim’s novella is constructed, he and isla are basically feeling identical things, thinking in identical statements, at the exact same time. you can match it up to the nightbane flashbacks tit for tat. it is so obvious that he’s the endgame. god.
but we also must contend with the fact that these characters and their narrative voices are not meaningfully different from each other.
both of them use the word ruinous multiple times when referring to their attraction to isla. both of them are at times “bone-meltingly” exhausted. both of them even watch her without her knowing to some extent (though grim does it far more often. he does it for like. a week and a half at one point). both at times think about isla in possessive terms (again, grim is the greater offender). this is of course, the fault of the author. she’s not skilled enough to craft these characters in contrast with each other.
i think whatever engenders your basic preference for oro or grim says more about you than the book itself can say. do you like your men brooding, horny and violent, or do you like your men… to have friends. the choice is yours!
miss alex aster is promoting this book on her socials with a “you’re gonna switch sides” kind of tone and let me be the first to say: no i haven’t LMFAODHSJ. i’ve always genuinely disliked grim, making me team oro by default (i guess) and the book has done NOTHING to dissuade me!!!!!
it’s crazy we’re all still carrying on the charade that isla’s love triangle is anything but already determined. continuing to pretend is akin to telling the naked emperor striding about the castle how wonderful he looks in his new clothes. it’s going to be grim and we all know it. if by some miracle over the mojave it isn’t, i will go live on twitch and take a bite of my hat, my favorite pink romcom baseball cap from super yaki. i am that confident. it’s going to be grim and i take no joy in the fact.
as primarily a fantasy reader, more than anything i was hoping these novellas would provide some much needed clarity to the story world, further emotional context re the original curse-casting, maybe addressing the pocket dimension stuff introduced in book 2, some insight of how the world was before isla crown existed in it (oh the horror) nd etc. unfortunately, we learn precious little.
in case anyone who’s not a lightlark scholar forgot, the original curses were cast by the starling ruler aurora, using the Heart of Lightlark (don’t worry about it) that she asked grim to find and unlock for her. she appeared to him (shapeshifted) as a wildling woman. grim, led by his libido, unknowingly did this for her. he did not know the extent of what she was planning. she did this because she learned that her fiancé egan (oro’s older brother, the then-king) was cheating on her with violet (wildling ruler, aurora’s best friend). these facts are all established in book 1. in my infinite foolishness, i hoped we’d see this event from grim’s perspective, maybe see him and aurora interacting, how and why he was seduced by her and the like. we do not see ANY of this. curse night is covered in approx three sentences, probably because we cannot see him intimate with anyone other than isla. to that end–
yall. most of grim's fucxkin novella is just his pov of the nightbane flashbacks!!!!!!!!!! i’m not exaggerating, i’m not misrepresenting it, i am speaking TRUE. we see grim’s life before meeting isla for FIVE MEASLY SECTIONS. there is a FIVE HUNDRED year time jump then it’s literally just nightbane (grim’s version).
(side note, it felt like he was constantly erect during his narration. nearly every section he remarks how rock-hard aroused isla makes him feel. his boner is the most important character in every scene. he’s never been this turned on in his life. his tent? pitched. bricked the fuck up. what’s harder than a diamond? this guy.)
(if you found this section unpleasant, imagine reading it constantly and without reprieve, as you’re simultaneously reminded of every stupid awful plot point from book 2, the worst one).
grim has some moments of startling clarity in this. more than once he recognizes that he does not in fact possess isla body and soul, but doesn’t interrogate his feelings and impulses because he cannot control how he feels. oh well. whaddayagunnado
in oro’s novella i got a little bit of the lore i so desperately craved. we meet his lovely mom (unnamed) and see his fairly sweet relationship with egan. we see how he gets his little gay (/complimentary) squad together and their regular hangout activities. we learn some of oro and grim’s shared history, that they were friends actually for a little and it was really nice!!! honestly it’s very challengers 2024. much more pleasant than grim and his book 2 permaboner.
however, i must never be allowed to have too much fun. curse night comes around. oro isn’t present when it happens and we only experience the emotional fallout in broad strokes before we are yet again flung 500 years into the future as the centennial plot of book 1 starts. perhaps alex aster believes it constitutes parity of perspectives.
yet there are subtle ways that aster favors grim. we’re solidly oriented in time with grim, we learn his age in relation to major events, we know how many years pass between early chapters when she deigns to tell us. we’re in his direct perspective when he’s a child experiencing all the abuses and cruelty of his father.
oro’s defining childhood traumatic accident (midas touching a kindly palace worker, this being the only time his shitty dad positively encourages him) is only reminisced upon. we are not in his head for the event itself. at some point he begins training for an indeterminate number of years across every section of lightlark. we simply don’t know how old he is. we don’t know how long he trains. we don’t even see his training for two of the isles (starling and skyling, obviously alex aster’s least favorite toys) before we’re dumped into lightlark (oro’s version).
the way that at least grim’s novella is constructed, he and isla are basically feeling identical things, thinking in identical statements, at the exact same time. you can match it up to the nightbane flashbacks tit for tat. it is so obvious that he’s the endgame. god.
but we also must contend with the fact that these characters and their narrative voices are not meaningfully different from each other.
both of them use the word ruinous multiple times when referring to their attraction to isla. both of them are at times “bone-meltingly” exhausted. both of them even watch her without her knowing to some extent (though grim does it far more often. he does it for like. a week and a half at one point). both at times think about isla in possessive terms (again, grim is the greater offender). this is of course, the fault of the author. she’s not skilled enough to craft these characters in contrast with each other.
i think whatever engenders your basic preference for oro or grim says more about you than the book itself can say. do you like your men brooding, horny and violent, or do you like your men… to have friends. the choice is yours!
Want to read
February 19, 2025𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹 (2/19/2025): For those who aren't aware, I despised the Lightlark series. *cue the Flynn Ryder meme with all the swords pointing at him* The writing was bad, it's painfully obvious who Alex Aster wants Isla to end up with despite the love triangle, I couldn't take Isla seriously and thought she made some poor decisions and can't make up her mind, and there were moments where I laughed reading the 3 books because I couldn't take anything seriously. People also have VERY strong opinions on whether or not you're Team Oro or Team Grim. I'm over here in Team No One.
HOWEVER.........I hope these novellas will give more insight into Oro and Grim as individuals outside of the regular conflict of the series and maybe, just MAYBE, I'll appreciate them more and pick a "team." But for now, I'm still Team No One.
(Also, shoutout to whichever artist who designed the sprayed edges and the cover art. They're super talented!)
HOWEVER.........I hope these novellas will give more insight into Oro and Grim as individuals outside of the regular conflict of the series and maybe, just MAYBE, I'll appreciate them more and pick a "team." But for now, I'm still Team No One.
(Also, shoutout to whichever artist who designed the sprayed edges and the cover art. They're super talented!)
December 23, 2025
this was actually insane, and also if ur not team grim by the end of this i fully don’t think we read the same book
Want to read
April 7, 2025Im no longer interested in the Lightlark series no more after that absolute abomination of a third book, but I'll still read this.. out of spite ✋️😭 if it sucks im turning into a hater again.
(im only here for grim😝 #grim4life)
(im only here for grim😝 #grim4life)
October 9, 2025
‼️MAY CONTAIN POTENTIAL SPOILERS‼️
Alex Aster never fails to amaze me with her writing. The actual book is gorgeous and the stories were brilliant.
After finishing both sides, I’m still team Oro because Oro’s side was more story driven and had lore, backstory and YEARNING, which I live for. We learn about his relationship with Grim and how they knew each other.
Grim’s perspective was essentially nightbane from his POV, and for the most part it was him being obsessed with Isla and lusting over her. It felt more like insta-lust rather than enemies to lovers. But I still did enjoy the story.
I’d give Oro’s story 5 ⭐️ and Grim’s story a 4.5 ⭐️
Pre-Read 2/14/25
I don’t give a F U C K what people say I loved all three books and I cannot WAIT for this. Take my money Alex Aster.
Alex Aster never fails to amaze me with her writing. The actual book is gorgeous and the stories were brilliant.
After finishing both sides, I’m still team Oro because Oro’s side was more story driven and had lore, backstory and YEARNING, which I live for. We learn about his relationship with Grim and how they knew each other.
Grim’s perspective was essentially nightbane from his POV, and for the most part it was him being obsessed with Isla and lusting over her. It felt more like insta-lust rather than enemies to lovers. But I still did enjoy the story.
I’d give Oro’s story 5 ⭐️ and Grim’s story a 4.5 ⭐️
Pre-Read 2/14/25
I don’t give a F U C K what people say I loved all three books and I cannot WAIT for this. Take my money Alex Aster.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2025
⤿ 🪄ⵌ┆3.25 stars ୭
you think you're a Grim fan? Well, what if I told you I didn't even read a single page in Oro's pov and read Grim's pov in one day?
you think you're a Grim fan? Well, what if I told you I didn't even read a single page in Oro's pov and read Grim's pov in one day?
physical-tbr
February 16, 2025was this necessary? no. am I ecstatic to get more Oro content? absolutely
October 27, 2025
Pokemon Grim and Pokemon Oro
Alright, so that joke was a bit off the cuff, but it’s somewhat based in truth: this is actually two separate books, published together in the same volume. Because Hoopla didn’t have them, I actually went and purchased a copy. I gotta say, the physical edition is actually quite nice looking. It’s got decorated edges, inside cover illustrations, and the book is flipped, so you can start with either one. (The two books meet in the middle.) Missing from the cover is any text whatsoever, but that’s on the sheath box it comes in (a box which, in an ironic twist of fate, shows off Oro’s face but mostly hides Grim). I didn’t find any images of the covers that weren’t either partially obscured or at weird angles, so I scanned them myself (and then did some rudimentary editing, in an attempt to restore some of the vibrancy lost in the scanning process):
Of course, it’s on Hoopla now, so I could’ve waited, aber was kann man tun?
The two books are both prequels about the titular men, told in first person and covering key points in their past, including their previous friendship and its dissolution following the curses being cast. They also focus heavily on these men’s relationship with Isla, and what falling in love with her actually looked like on their ends.
Plotwise, there’s not much to talk about, and that’s the part I find the most disappointing. I went in expecting origin story prequels, and while they both are that in the beginning, this part lasts for less than half the book before we enter “rehash of a previous book” territory. Hell, only the first 15% of Grim is new events, and the remaining 85% is just the flashback chapters of Nightbane but from his perspective. Oro actually gets a better deal here for once: his book doesn’t turn into Lightlark but from his perspective until the 38% mark! The worst part is that the casting of the curses, the big event which led to the entire series, is just kind of skimmed over, especially in Grim. And then the only part of the immediate aftermath that receives any attention is the two titular men falling out. And then there’s a 500 year timeskip to when Isla arrives on the scene. That’s 500 years worth of missed narrative opportunities, which makes it feel like nothing of note happened in that time, save for a few Centennials where nothing was accomplished.
One of the strangest omissions, in my opinion, is Isla’s dad. He was Grim’s general before meeting Isla’s mom, and his actions directly lead to many of the events of the series. An ostensible prequel would’ve been a good time to feature him, but no. And after all this time, there’s still two major things we don’t know about him: 1) his name, and 2) what he looks like (other than “not like Isla”). Also remaining nameless are Isla’s mom, Grim’s mom, and Oro’s mom. Somewhat understandable in Grim’s case, because his mom was a nobody who was killed shortly after his birth, but Oro clearly has a lot of affection for his mother and considers her a role model. She deserves to have her name mentioned at least once.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, reading a book each in these men’s heads has actually helped me better articulate why I prefer Oro. Both of these men are more interesting when doing stuff not related to Isla, but Grim’s status as The Love Interest™ means he almost never gets to exist in this state. Meanwhile, the fact that Oro quite frankly ain’t gonna win this one means he has more freedom to just…be a character. And even when Isla is around, he’s allowed to have feelings about her other than “so horny he can’t think straight”. Grim feels like he’s limited to that one emotion, and it honestly makes his internal monologue exhausting to read. I felt emotionally burnt out from the relentless arousal by the end, in a way that made me wonder why I even bother with romance. I’m sadly forced to conclude that in this series, being the love interest is actually a downgrade for a character. After all, Oro was at his most boring in the book where he and Isla were officially a couple. So I’ve ended up in this weird position where I’m technically Team Grim, but in the same way I would give a coworker a positive referral for another job because I want them gone.
My less binaristic ideal outcome is a long shot, but: these two have a fair bit in common. Terrible conquest-driven father who delights in killing, has made it his life’s mission to not become said father, never wanted to lead but was forced to by circumstance, spent 500 years refusing to fall in love because that’s a huge liability. We know they know most of this about each other, because they spent 20 years bonding over it. As of the end of Skyshade, they’re in the same boat vis-à-vis being left in the dust by Isla, and they’re gonna have to work together in book 4. All I’m saying is, our fujoshi warriors have a solid case here. Am I among them? I suppose you could say that.
Alright, so that joke was a bit off the cuff, but it’s somewhat based in truth: this is actually two separate books, published together in the same volume. Because Hoopla didn’t have them, I actually went and purchased a copy. I gotta say, the physical edition is actually quite nice looking. It’s got decorated edges, inside cover illustrations, and the book is flipped, so you can start with either one. (The two books meet in the middle.) Missing from the cover is any text whatsoever, but that’s on the sheath box it comes in (a box which, in an ironic twist of fate, shows off Oro’s face but mostly hides Grim). I didn’t find any images of the covers that weren’t either partially obscured or at weird angles, so I scanned them myself (and then did some rudimentary editing, in an attempt to restore some of the vibrancy lost in the scanning process):
Of course, it’s on Hoopla now, so I could’ve waited, aber was kann man tun?
The two books are both prequels about the titular men, told in first person and covering key points in their past, including their previous friendship and its dissolution following the curses being cast. They also focus heavily on these men’s relationship with Isla, and what falling in love with her actually looked like on their ends.
Plotwise, there’s not much to talk about, and that’s the part I find the most disappointing. I went in expecting origin story prequels, and while they both are that in the beginning, this part lasts for less than half the book before we enter “rehash of a previous book” territory. Hell, only the first 15% of Grim is new events, and the remaining 85% is just the flashback chapters of Nightbane but from his perspective. Oro actually gets a better deal here for once: his book doesn’t turn into Lightlark but from his perspective until the 38% mark! The worst part is that the casting of the curses, the big event which led to the entire series, is just kind of skimmed over, especially in Grim. And then the only part of the immediate aftermath that receives any attention is the two titular men falling out. And then there’s a 500 year timeskip to when Isla arrives on the scene. That’s 500 years worth of missed narrative opportunities, which makes it feel like nothing of note happened in that time, save for a few Centennials where nothing was accomplished.
One of the strangest omissions, in my opinion, is Isla’s dad. He was Grim’s general before meeting Isla’s mom, and his actions directly lead to many of the events of the series. An ostensible prequel would’ve been a good time to feature him, but no. And after all this time, there’s still two major things we don’t know about him: 1) his name, and 2) what he looks like (other than “not like Isla”). Also remaining nameless are Isla’s mom, Grim’s mom, and Oro’s mom. Somewhat understandable in Grim’s case, because his mom was a nobody who was killed shortly after his birth, but Oro clearly has a lot of affection for his mother and considers her a role model. She deserves to have her name mentioned at least once.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, reading a book each in these men’s heads has actually helped me better articulate why I prefer Oro. Both of these men are more interesting when doing stuff not related to Isla, but Grim’s status as The Love Interest™ means he almost never gets to exist in this state. Meanwhile, the fact that Oro quite frankly ain’t gonna win this one means he has more freedom to just…be a character. And even when Isla is around, he’s allowed to have feelings about her other than “so horny he can’t think straight”. Grim feels like he’s limited to that one emotion, and it honestly makes his internal monologue exhausting to read. I felt emotionally burnt out from the relentless arousal by the end, in a way that made me wonder why I even bother with romance. I’m sadly forced to conclude that in this series, being the love interest is actually a downgrade for a character. After all, Oro was at his most boring in the book where he and Isla were officially a couple. So I’ve ended up in this weird position where I’m technically Team Grim, but in the same way I would give a coworker a positive referral for another job because I want them gone.
My less binaristic ideal outcome is a long shot, but: these two have a fair bit in common. Terrible conquest-driven father who delights in killing, has made it his life’s mission to not become said father, never wanted to lead but was forced to by circumstance, spent 500 years refusing to fall in love because that’s a huge liability. We know they know most of this about each other, because they spent 20 years bonding over it. As of the end of Skyshade, they’re in the same boat vis-à-vis being left in the dust by Isla, and they’re gonna have to work together in book 4. All I’m saying is, our fujoshi warriors have a solid case here. Am I among them? I suppose you could say that.
October 29, 2025
The way I'll eat this book! My love for Grim knows no bounds. 💖❤️🔥
I'm going to start by reading Oro's first, because I'm saving the best for last eheh
I'm so, so scared that this series is going to turn out the way I imagined... I fear for Grim's life 😭
28/10/2025 - finished reading
It's over, and I'm heartbroken again. I need Crowntide today, even though I know it probably won't answer my question.
Grim and Isla need to end together, otherwise I'll die of sadness!
Grim saved this book. 🥰
I get the thing about switching sides, most probably Alex is giving us a clue that Isla stays with Oro, but it didn't work on this girl. In fact, his pov made me dislike Oro even more. Sure, he makes up for it later, and he's fine now, but still. He has no personality whatsoever. Calder is his intelligence, and the best part of Oro's side until Grim shows up.
Both mmc's have daddy issues, but Grim could actually think for himself and try to do better, whereas Oro... needs Calder, the voice of reason, to shows up.
Overall, boring. 😪
Now, Grim. If I cried in the previous books, you can be sure I cried again, even harder, because of his point of view. 😭🥺
He always thought he was undeserving of happiness. Yes, he lied, but in the end he told her everything, including his motives. This eventually led to them both giving up their lives for one another, and then there was their wedding scene and me crying again.
This book just cemented the fact that I'll never switch teams. It'll always be grim. ⭐
I'm going to start by reading Oro's first, because I'm saving the best for last eheh
I'm so, so scared that this series is going to turn out the way I imagined... I fear for Grim's life 😭
28/10/2025 - finished reading
It's over, and I'm heartbroken again. I need Crowntide today, even though I know it probably won't answer my question.
Grim and Isla need to end together, otherwise I'll die of sadness!
Grim saved this book. 🥰
I get the thing about switching sides, most probably Alex is giving us a clue that Isla stays with Oro, but it didn't work on this girl. In fact, his pov made me dislike Oro even more. Sure, he makes up for it later, and he's fine now, but still. He has no personality whatsoever. Calder is his intelligence, and the best part of Oro's side until Grim shows up.
Both mmc's have daddy issues, but Grim could actually think for himself and try to do better, whereas Oro... needs Calder, the voice of reason, to shows up.
Overall, boring. 😪
Now, Grim. If I cried in the previous books, you can be sure I cried again, even harder, because of his point of view. 😭🥺
He always thought he was undeserving of happiness. Yes, he lied, but in the end he told her everything, including his motives. This eventually led to them both giving up their lives for one another, and then there was their wedding scene and me crying again.
This book just cemented the fact that I'll never switch teams. It'll always be grim. ⭐
Read
May 6, 2025At this point they should just have a threesome it’s easier than going through the whole love triangle process
October 5, 2025
Im so confused why this series is even a love triangle ???
Oro is giving boyfriend while Grim IS literally HUSBAND.
Oro calls her Love, but Grim calls her heart, because she’s his heart, his everything. They share a life, again, literally.
And listen, I did think some cute things were said in Oro’s pov but gosh, Grim’s pov is just everything.
Reading how Oro fell in love with Isla, makes me believe even less in their relationship, compared to Grim and Isla.
Its is my biggest ick, with this series, that the love triangle is still ongoing after 3 books, when Grim and Isla, have been married two times now.
I DONT GET IT !!!!
But I did like knowing more about both their lives.
Oro is giving boyfriend while Grim IS literally HUSBAND.
Oro calls her Love, but Grim calls her heart, because she’s his heart, his everything. They share a life, again, literally.
And listen, I did think some cute things were said in Oro’s pov but gosh, Grim’s pov is just everything.
Reading how Oro fell in love with Isla, makes me believe even less in their relationship, compared to Grim and Isla.
Its is my biggest ick, with this series, that the love triangle is still ongoing after 3 books, when Grim and Isla, have been married two times now.
I DONT GET IT !!!!
But I did like knowing more about both their lives.
Want to read
February 15, 2025I really did enjoy the Lightlark books, but I respectfully believe three books was pushing it 😭 we really don’t need this “companion novel”, but I’ll read it nonetheless 😛
October 1, 2025
Definitely did not switch sides…team Grim forever 🖤
November 30, 2025
Omg it was such a good book. Like omg omg omfg
However something disturbed me in this book. It is supposed to be ya. But it really isn’t. Like some chapters were a bit more spicy than usual. I didn’t mind but people should know that I think.
Grim is such a shadow daddy like 🥵
He is such a cutie patootie. And I love him so much.
I ADORED having his pov. It was I think what was missing from my life. I can die peacefully now.
Now but fr the yearning. Yum. Loved it.
Oro, my grumpy hottie 🫦
Okay so we all know that he is love with our Wilding is a bit unexpected and I think that having his pov cleared a bit. But it was still weird (honestly both of them were, but I guess she is like so pretty and stuff so understandable but still). We know that he really cares for her.
Spoiler
Both characters are really deep and so good. And I really dk who she is gonna end up with (I mean I have an idea) but the one that she doesn’t choose I mean she is gonna have to kill him. Yeah no, that won’t do 😀
However something disturbed me in this book. It is supposed to be ya. But it really isn’t. Like some chapters were a bit more spicy than usual. I didn’t mind but people should know that I think.
Grim is such a shadow daddy like 🥵
He is such a cutie patootie. And I love him so much.
I ADORED having his pov. It was I think what was missing from my life. I can die peacefully now.
Now but fr the yearning. Yum. Loved it.
Oro, my grumpy hottie 🫦
Okay so we all know that he is love with our Wilding is a bit unexpected and I think that having his pov cleared a bit. But it was still weird (honestly both of them were, but I guess she is like so pretty and stuff so understandable but still). We know that he really cares for her.
Spoiler
Both characters are really deep and so good. And I really dk who she is gonna end up with (I mean I have an idea) but the one that she doesn’t choose I mean she is gonna have to kill him. Yeah no, that won’t do 😀
December 17, 2025
oh my god. damn.
this is bad in a very new way. one which is character ruining for anyone who has a grip of fondness for either of them- particularly oro, who is thoroughly written to be unpleasant and distastful.
the fact these books are presented as companions, as equals, is comidic. Never has the favouritism been so stark. and that would be a lot less of an issue if the author didn't constantly enforce the idea these ARE equal characters, these ARE competitors for the endgame.
Also. if I have to hear one more thing about how isla is the most special unique perfect captivating wonderful saviour of the damned hero of the multiverse beautiful wonderful excellent unique Not Like Other Girls being of pure light love and healing I SWEAR TO GOD----
this is bad in a very new way. one which is character ruining for anyone who has a grip of fondness for either of them- particularly oro, who is thoroughly written to be unpleasant and distastful.
the fact these books are presented as companions, as equals, is comidic. Never has the favouritism been so stark. and that would be a lot less of an issue if the author didn't constantly enforce the idea these ARE equal characters, these ARE competitors for the endgame.
Also. if I have to hear one more thing about how isla is the most special unique perfect captivating wonderful saviour of the damned hero of the multiverse beautiful wonderful excellent unique Not Like Other Girls being of pure light love and healing I SWEAR TO GOD----
October 2, 2025
These four stars are for Oro - and the version of herself Isla is with him.
Rant time!
I have been team Oro all the way through - he seems to be the character who grows and develops the most. He fell in love with Isla over time, through getting to know her. Yes, he was attracted to her from the beginning, but it is her PERSONALITY that breaks down his walls - the time that they spend together throughout the events of book 1. I mean...the fact that they don't even kiss throughout these events make this seem more real. More believable. They yearn. He likes her. But he's in denial. So he doesn't push. And it makes it so much more rewarding when they finally admit their affection.
I really like Grim as a character - I find his story gut-wrenching and very moving. But honestly? His half of this book was SO exhausting to read. He pretty much falls in love with Isla at first sight, which leaves little room for the reader to understand WHY. Like... "Her emotions are RED. And her eyes are GREEN. And she's BEAUTIFUL." Okay... cool? Grim is much more interesting to read about BEFORE he meets Isla. Afterward...she is all he thinks about. And it's kind of a lot - especially considering he's basically watching her sleep every night before knowing her at all.
If he was the only MMC, I might be more on board, but when compared with Oro's half of the story, the insta-love was a no for me, honestly. I felt like Oro actually had to work to earn Isla's affection (and obviously vice-versa), whereas she and Grim were just attracted to each other off the bat and denying it outwardly. I MUCH prefer Isla as a character when she's with Oro. She has grit and personality, and she INFURIATES him at the beginning. It's great.
This book also confirmed the reason I preferred Oro as a character from the start - he makes selfless choices. Yes, Grim had a horrible, traumatic childhood. Yes, that informs many of his decisions and his shortcomings (he also professes this directly and works to change - especially in book 3 - which is great).
But here's the thing...Oro had horrible, traumatic experiences too. As Grim himself seemed intent on convincing him - in many ways, Grim and Oro are two sides of the same coin. But they make DIFFERENT. CHOICES. Oro isn't just the "golden boy" to his "morally grey" counterpart. He is a man who experienced many of the same levels of trauma but who made different choices. He refuses to gild the thief when his father commands it. He befriends the son of a man his father killed. Grim claims to have become a killing machine out of necessity... but he is a man with free will. Oro was imprisoned and starved for his decisions - he didn't make them without consequences. And yet Grim says he "had no other choice." Yeah... no. (Especially after his father is dead? Yes, Grim is a good man at his core, but I think Oro deserves more credit for enduring the same and yet making better choices. AND YET STILL NOT BEING CHOSEN BY ISLA. Poor Oro. Honestly, this man cannot seem to win despite doing the right things. It's awful.)
I also need to say that the whole "Grim and Isla being secretly married the whole time" gives me the ick. That means everything that happens between her and Oro is adultery? And even if SHE doesn't know that,... Grim does. Who erases their WIFE'S memories and sends her off to seduce another man? EW. NO. BIG NOPE.
Team Oro for life.
Rant time!
I have been team Oro all the way through - he seems to be the character who grows and develops the most. He fell in love with Isla over time, through getting to know her. Yes, he was attracted to her from the beginning, but it is her PERSONALITY that breaks down his walls - the time that they spend together throughout the events of book 1. I mean...the fact that they don't even kiss throughout these events make this seem more real. More believable. They yearn. He likes her. But he's in denial. So he doesn't push. And it makes it so much more rewarding when they finally admit their affection.
I really like Grim as a character - I find his story gut-wrenching and very moving. But honestly? His half of this book was SO exhausting to read. He pretty much falls in love with Isla at first sight, which leaves little room for the reader to understand WHY. Like... "Her emotions are RED. And her eyes are GREEN. And she's BEAUTIFUL." Okay... cool? Grim is much more interesting to read about BEFORE he meets Isla. Afterward...she is all he thinks about. And it's kind of a lot - especially considering he's basically watching her sleep every night before knowing her at all.
If he was the only MMC, I might be more on board, but when compared with Oro's half of the story, the insta-love was a no for me, honestly. I felt like Oro actually had to work to earn Isla's affection (and obviously vice-versa), whereas she and Grim were just attracted to each other off the bat and denying it outwardly. I MUCH prefer Isla as a character when she's with Oro. She has grit and personality, and she INFURIATES him at the beginning. It's great.
This book also confirmed the reason I preferred Oro as a character from the start - he makes selfless choices. Yes, Grim had a horrible, traumatic childhood. Yes, that informs many of his decisions and his shortcomings (he also professes this directly and works to change - especially in book 3 - which is great).
But here's the thing...Oro had horrible, traumatic experiences too. As Grim himself seemed intent on convincing him - in many ways, Grim and Oro are two sides of the same coin. But they make DIFFERENT. CHOICES. Oro isn't just the "golden boy" to his "morally grey" counterpart. He is a man who experienced many of the same levels of trauma but who made different choices. He refuses to gild the thief when his father commands it. He befriends the son of a man his father killed. Grim claims to have become a killing machine out of necessity... but he is a man with free will. Oro was imprisoned and starved for his decisions - he didn't make them without consequences. And yet Grim says he "had no other choice." Yeah... no. (Especially after his father is dead? Yes, Grim is a good man at his core, but I think Oro deserves more credit for enduring the same and yet making better choices. AND YET STILL NOT BEING CHOSEN BY ISLA. Poor Oro. Honestly, this man cannot seem to win despite doing the right things. It's awful.)
I also need to say that the whole "Grim and Isla being secretly married the whole time" gives me the ick. That means everything that happens between her and Oro is adultery? And even if SHE doesn't know that,... Grim does. Who erases their WIFE'S memories and sends her off to seduce another man? EW. NO. BIG NOPE.
Team Oro for life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2025
What. The. AHHHHHHHHH!!! These were so GOOD! I still love Oro to death and am still on his team.
October 13, 2025
it was absolutely insufferable to relive lightlark in the minds of Grim and Oro. I love Isla and Oro together but his mind is a mess. Grim is pretty bad too. whiney, insufferable idiots!
October 17, 2025
5 stars and no notes.
This makes me excited for the 4th book after the absolute dumpster fire of the last book 🔥
This makes me excited for the 4th book after the absolute dumpster fire of the last book 🔥
Want to read
March 18, 2025ready to hate read this 😝
October 4, 2025
I understand the appeal of Grim. There were also moments throughout the entire Lightlark series where I was definitely hellll yesss i want that for me too yum yum sexy sexy.
But Oro. Alex Aster writes the noble yearning so much better with him. I adore him. Honestly he needs to find true love elsewhere because Isla is not it and I will die on that hill. He deserves better because he is so much more than a broody miserable horny guy with mad powers. I loved his POV much more than Grims. There wasn’t anything new to discover with Grim, literally his POV was just Nightbane (Grims Version)and I’m glad I went against the authors recommendation and read through Grims first (glossed over most) and enjoyed the best for last.
I really wished for more background lore from both sides. I wish there was better continuity. I wish the focus was more on worldbuilding and character development than an all powerful ruler unable to control his cock.
The two stars are only because of Oro. My maaaan.
But Oro. Alex Aster writes the noble yearning so much better with him. I adore him. Honestly he needs to find true love elsewhere because Isla is not it and I will die on that hill. He deserves better because he is so much more than a broody miserable horny guy with mad powers. I loved his POV much more than Grims. There wasn’t anything new to discover with Grim, literally his POV was just Nightbane (Grims Version)and I’m glad I went against the authors recommendation and read through Grims first (glossed over most) and enjoyed the best for last.
I really wished for more background lore from both sides. I wish there was better continuity. I wish the focus was more on worldbuilding and character development than an all powerful ruler unable to control his cock.
The two stars are only because of Oro. My maaaan.
October 1, 2025
⭑ ⭑ ⭒ ⭒ ⭒
1.5 stars
ᝰ.ᐟ Even in a Grim AND Oro book you can see the author’s favoritism seeping through
ᝰ.ᐟ So I ask (yet again) why are we about to read book four and the choice hasn’t been made…
ᝰ.ᐟ I would like to pretend I give two fucks about the background of these characters but all I did was groan with each page turn.
#freeGrimAndOro
1.5 stars
ᝰ.ᐟ Even in a Grim AND Oro book you can see the author’s favoritism seeping through
ᝰ.ᐟ So I ask (yet again) why are we about to read book four and the choice hasn’t been made…
ᝰ.ᐟ I would like to pretend I give two fucks about the background of these characters but all I did was groan with each page turn.
#freeGrimAndOro
December 15, 2025
You see that rating up there? ^ ^ Yeah? Ignore it. Put it out of your mind. That's simply my rating for Grim. :) I love that man, I would die for him, and I hate--with all my heart--that he's only words on paper. No one will ever speak to me the way Grim speaks to Isla, and that thought is deeply saddening. (Will expand on this soon.)
Oro himself gets 3 sympathy stars because he actually kinda suffered. Alex's writing gets 2 stars. Let me elaborate.
Alex isn't--and never has been--a good writer. Straight up. Her words are very simple, very boring. There's nothing lyrical, nothing fantastical about her writing. Sometimes, I even think she forgets what part she's on and writes the same part over again. And the fact that her editor didn't catch that either... Problem. And this happens throughout all her books!
That being said, the one thing she writes well is Grim. I will give her that. Because, again, just so we're all clear: THAT. MAN. 🧎♀🧎♀🧎♀ BYEEEEE. Let me just share my most favorite part:
|"That isn't a strong enough word. No, heart, I don't love you. I live for you. I destroy for you. I die for you. My every thought and emotion revolve around you. You are my sun, my moon, my gravity, my eternity." [...] "I want everything with you, Hearteater. I want marriage, I want children, I want to be standing next to you, holding your hand, at the end of the world. I want to live endless lifetimes with you, because one isn't enough. Not for me. Not even close. If we live a thousand years--I'll want a million more. I'm selfish, I'm greedy, I want you for endless eternities. We are infinite: everything, everywhere, at the same time. I want EVERYTHING."
I'll leave you with that. 😇
Also, Alex, I'm coming for you because why did you cheat my man from pages??? Like 225 instead of 266??? And we didn't even get all the yearning and pining of the Centennial! I was looking forward to that because helloooo, his wife forgets him, and he can't touch her? PINING GALORE I WAS SO EXCITED! But you didn't give that to us??? How dare you!
Anyway, if you're going to read this, I recommend starting with Oro's part. I know, I know, but it makes more sense.
Oro himself gets 3 sympathy stars because he actually kinda suffered. Alex's writing gets 2 stars. Let me elaborate.
Alex isn't--and never has been--a good writer. Straight up. Her words are very simple, very boring. There's nothing lyrical, nothing fantastical about her writing. Sometimes, I even think she forgets what part she's on and writes the same part over again. And the fact that her editor didn't catch that either... Problem. And this happens throughout all her books!
That being said, the one thing she writes well is Grim. I will give her that. Because, again, just so we're all clear: THAT. MAN. 🧎♀🧎♀🧎♀ BYEEEEE. Let me just share my most favorite part:
|"That isn't a strong enough word. No, heart, I don't love you. I live for you. I destroy for you. I die for you. My every thought and emotion revolve around you. You are my sun, my moon, my gravity, my eternity." [...] "I want everything with you, Hearteater. I want marriage, I want children, I want to be standing next to you, holding your hand, at the end of the world. I want to live endless lifetimes with you, because one isn't enough. Not for me. Not even close. If we live a thousand years--I'll want a million more. I'm selfish, I'm greedy, I want you for endless eternities. We are infinite: everything, everywhere, at the same time. I want EVERYTHING."
I'll leave you with that. 😇
Also, Alex, I'm coming for you because why did you cheat my man from pages??? Like 225 instead of 266??? And we didn't even get all the yearning and pining of the Centennial! I was looking forward to that because helloooo, his wife forgets him, and he can't touch her? PINING GALORE I WAS SO EXCITED! But you didn't give that to us??? How dare you!
Anyway, if you're going to read this, I recommend starting with Oro's part. I know, I know, but it makes more sense.
October 2, 2025
4.5⭐️
Alex Aster has done it again… aside from the beautiful cover and edges this double novella was everything. Honestly I can’t stand Oro, never could and even after his novella I’m still not a fan. I did not and never will switch sides. Oro to me is someone that thinks they’re a good person and tries hard to be one but is actually kind of shit. He blames Grim for absolutely everything bad that happens with zero proof or pretense that it’s him. All purely because he believes him to be evil because his father was a cruel man and he followed orders in war. Like sir you killed just as many people also with families and lives, most of which were not there willingly but by force and fear, so like miss me with the “he’s a monster! He’s a demon” BS bc if the shoe fits!!! I know this is meant to be a slight background and then how they fell in love with Isla but I have taken away stars on this rating because I feel very strongly that only getting Oro’s pov for Lightlark is not enough. I think his pov during Nightbane and Skyshade would be infinitely more telling about his character as he’s absolute wretch in those. NOW GRIM ON THE OTHER HAND… that man was tortured, beaten, abused, and neglected as child because his father was terrible and power hungry and feeding into barbaric and archaic traditions (and Oro thinks his daddy is so mean cuz he didn’t pay him any attention and only his brother even tho he had a loving mother and was never beaten or tortured for being a kid). Grim never wanted to be heir, much like Oro, however Grim was forced to kill his one sibling he *thought* he had a relationship with like bro his father forced him into heir and made him an emotionless empty vessel/killing machine. He did not want to yet he did to save his life and those of his people. Everything he did was for his people, he constantly gave himself to saving his people ALONE and Oro just sits on his thrown and grovels with his gaggle of little friends to keep him company and help him. I loved seeing the pre-centennial flashback scenes we got in Nightbane from Grim’s pov, enemies to lovers at its finest and the last few chapters were heart wrenching. I will say… this is meant to be a YA series and some of the grim parts were definitely not falling under that category. Now don’t get me wrong I love to see it but that alone makes this fall out of YA and it drives me nuts when explicit descriptions appear in YA content… like wrong!
This novella continues to expand my love for the Lightlark universe and I am so excited to get my hands on Crowntide in 2 months!!!
Alex Aster has done it again… aside from the beautiful cover and edges this double novella was everything. Honestly I can’t stand Oro, never could and even after his novella I’m still not a fan. I did not and never will switch sides. Oro to me is someone that thinks they’re a good person and tries hard to be one but is actually kind of shit. He blames Grim for absolutely everything bad that happens with zero proof or pretense that it’s him. All purely because he believes him to be evil because his father was a cruel man and he followed orders in war. Like sir you killed just as many people also with families and lives, most of which were not there willingly but by force and fear, so like miss me with the “he’s a monster! He’s a demon” BS bc if the shoe fits!!! I know this is meant to be a slight background and then how they fell in love with Isla but I have taken away stars on this rating because I feel very strongly that only getting Oro’s pov for Lightlark is not enough. I think his pov during Nightbane and Skyshade would be infinitely more telling about his character as he’s absolute wretch in those. NOW GRIM ON THE OTHER HAND… that man was tortured, beaten, abused, and neglected as child because his father was terrible and power hungry and feeding into barbaric and archaic traditions (and Oro thinks his daddy is so mean cuz he didn’t pay him any attention and only his brother even tho he had a loving mother and was never beaten or tortured for being a kid). Grim never wanted to be heir, much like Oro, however Grim was forced to kill his one sibling he *thought* he had a relationship with like bro his father forced him into heir and made him an emotionless empty vessel/killing machine. He did not want to yet he did to save his life and those of his people. Everything he did was for his people, he constantly gave himself to saving his people ALONE and Oro just sits on his thrown and grovels with his gaggle of little friends to keep him company and help him. I loved seeing the pre-centennial flashback scenes we got in Nightbane from Grim’s pov, enemies to lovers at its finest and the last few chapters were heart wrenching. I will say… this is meant to be a YA series and some of the grim parts were definitely not falling under that category. Now don’t get me wrong I love to see it but that alone makes this fall out of YA and it drives me nuts when explicit descriptions appear in YA content… like wrong!
This novella continues to expand my love for the Lightlark universe and I am so excited to get my hands on Crowntide in 2 months!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2025
I’m so glad we got a book in their POVs! I still stand by being a Grim girlie 💅🏻
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