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Starside
From Alex Aster, the #1
New York Times
bestselling author of the
Lightlark
series, comes her first adult romantasy. Enter the world of
Starside
, where swords wield magic and power is not inherited...but claimed.
Hundreds of years ago, a brutal war split a land in two. Starside is the realm of magic and immortals—the descendants of the gods, living in a power-rich paradise. Stormside is where mortals fight for scraps of that magic.
Every fifty years, the gates between them open, and fifty challengers are allowed to journey across Starside on a deadly quest to access a pool of magic that can heal, grant wealth, or extend life. Everyone has their reasons for entering, but Aris has only vengeance. As a child, a goddess set fire to her village, killing her family. Aris isn’t after the gods’ magic—she’s going to kill them.
First, she must survive the Culling, the king’s deadly competition to choose his fifty challengers. An orphaned blacksmith’s apprentice, Aris doesn’t have the superior weapons of the heirs from the Great Houses. But the greatest swords—ones that contain power—are not inherited or bought, they are claimed, by both sides. And when Aris claims a great sword, it makes her not just a real competitor—but a target.
Getting past the gates is only the beginning. Starside is deadlier than it seems. If the ancient creatures, magic-wielding beasts, and bloodthirsty immortals weren’t dangerous enough, a new peril has even immortals fearing what rises from the ground at night. With a blade most would kill to claim, Aris can’t trust anyone. Especially not Harlan Raker, the merciless and mysterious king’s guard who betrayed her years ago—and who may now be the key to her survival.
But Aris is hiding a secret tied to her family’s death. And when it’s revealed, not even the gods will be able to stop what’s coming…
Hundreds of years ago, a brutal war split a land in two. Starside is the realm of magic and immortals—the descendants of the gods, living in a power-rich paradise. Stormside is where mortals fight for scraps of that magic.
Every fifty years, the gates between them open, and fifty challengers are allowed to journey across Starside on a deadly quest to access a pool of magic that can heal, grant wealth, or extend life. Everyone has their reasons for entering, but Aris has only vengeance. As a child, a goddess set fire to her village, killing her family. Aris isn’t after the gods’ magic—she’s going to kill them.
First, she must survive the Culling, the king’s deadly competition to choose his fifty challengers. An orphaned blacksmith’s apprentice, Aris doesn’t have the superior weapons of the heirs from the Great Houses. But the greatest swords—ones that contain power—are not inherited or bought, they are claimed, by both sides. And when Aris claims a great sword, it makes her not just a real competitor—but a target.
Getting past the gates is only the beginning. Starside is deadlier than it seems. If the ancient creatures, magic-wielding beasts, and bloodthirsty immortals weren’t dangerous enough, a new peril has even immortals fearing what rises from the ground at night. With a blade most would kill to claim, Aris can’t trust anyone. Especially not Harlan Raker, the merciless and mysterious king’s guard who betrayed her years ago—and who may now be the key to her survival.
But Aris is hiding a secret tied to her family’s death. And when it’s revealed, not even the gods will be able to stop what’s coming…
512 pages, Hardcover
First published March 31, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,979 reviews
April 3, 2026
okay so I'll admit I had my guard up going into this because if I have to read one more deadly trial book I might actually lose it. but Starside won me over pretty fast. Alex Aster's jump to adult romantasy feels like where she was always supposed to be, and the result is this propulsive, high-stakes quest fantasy that just does not let up. the world is clean and easy to get into without being shallow (Starside for the immortals, Stormside for the mortals, a gate that opens every fifty years, fifty challengers, one shot at the gods' magic) and the swordbased magic system where power is claimed and not inherited is such a satisfying concept. it gives the whole story this underdog energy that I'm always going to root for.
now. Aris and Raker. these two absolutely wrecked me. the enemies-to-lovers here WORKS because there's actual betrayal in their history, actual reasons to hate each other, and every time they're in the same room you can feel the tension sitting on your chest. the slow burn is the kind where you're basically vibrating waiting for something to crack, and when they finally start orbiting closer the whole book just locks in at a different level. Aris herself is a standout, she's not here for glory or riches, she watched a goddess burn her family alive and she fully intends to return the favor. that kind of single-minded rage in an FMC? obsessed with it. and without spoiling anything, the way the last chunk of this book plays out genuinely had me setting it down and just sitting there processing. did NOT see it going where it went.
look, is it going to feel familiar if you've been deep in the romantasy trenches? yeah, some of the bones are things you've seen before. the competition framework, the broody male lead, the orphan with a tragic backstory. but Aster pulls it off with so much momentum and genuine emotion that the familiarity honestly reads more like comfort food than a problem. if you loved Fourth Wing or Red Queen and want something with a sharper edge and a slower, more rewarding romantic payoff, this is the one. I'll be thinking about that ending for a while. 4.5 stars rounded up because Raker lives in my head rent free now and I need book two immediately.
now. Aris and Raker. these two absolutely wrecked me. the enemies-to-lovers here WORKS because there's actual betrayal in their history, actual reasons to hate each other, and every time they're in the same room you can feel the tension sitting on your chest. the slow burn is the kind where you're basically vibrating waiting for something to crack, and when they finally start orbiting closer the whole book just locks in at a different level. Aris herself is a standout, she's not here for glory or riches, she watched a goddess burn her family alive and she fully intends to return the favor. that kind of single-minded rage in an FMC? obsessed with it. and without spoiling anything, the way the last chunk of this book plays out genuinely had me setting it down and just sitting there processing. did NOT see it going where it went.
look, is it going to feel familiar if you've been deep in the romantasy trenches? yeah, some of the bones are things you've seen before. the competition framework, the broody male lead, the orphan with a tragic backstory. but Aster pulls it off with so much momentum and genuine emotion that the familiarity honestly reads more like comfort food than a problem. if you loved Fourth Wing or Red Queen and want something with a sharper edge and a slower, more rewarding romantic payoff, this is the one. I'll be thinking about that ending for a while. 4.5 stars rounded up because Raker lives in my head rent free now and I need book two immediately.
February 9, 2026
Someone please inform the Habsburgs they are no longer the most inbred thing now that this book exists.
This is a DNF (edit: I ended up reading the rest) because even my hate reads have limits. Alex Aster saw Lauren Roberts’ success (in evading a plagiarism lawsuit) and said “bet.”
I’ve truly never read a more poorly written, copy-and-paste book in my entire life. Like, if you’re 13 and have never read anything beyond The Babysitter’s Club before, you might like this. But, if you’ve read even one contemporary YA fantasy-ish book before this, you’ve read this book and I can’t see how you’d enjoy it.
And this is YA—despite Alex Aster stamping an “adult” label on it. I’m sure it has smut in it later (it did and it was baaaad) and they say “fuck” a lot, but if you take out those two things, this is a young YA novel, borderline middle grade.
Nothing in here is original (and don’t give me the “nothing nowadays is original”) people who say that are too chronically online and are simply reading the same tropes over and over and over again. Even things that are inspired by other things are still able to put a twist on it.
This has no twist on ANYTHING. Suzanne Collins (among many authors) needs to sue because the blatant copying in this was insane!
We got the undead bodies beneath a bog attacking our fmc as well as the classic, “she made a vulgar gesture at him.” Okay, Sarah…
We get the “pretend” make out against a wall scene from The Powerless series. Between these two authors, they’re quite literally copying from each other. The literary incest is rampant.
We get the corset tying scene from Fourth Wing, like almost beat for beat.
We get the two halves of a whole (this time it’s swords, whereas in Harry Potter it’s the two feathers from the same Phoenix for their wands)
We get the fuck in a cave and then the betrayal duel ending scene from Serpent and the Wings of Night.
Aster decided to go a bit farther back and take from George R. R. Martin: our sassy fmc has a dragon and, get this, cannot be burned in a fire. Bet ya never heard that one before, aye? (In writing this I just remembered our fmc is named Aris—Daenerys. Daen-erys. Erys. Aris. I don’t care if you think that’s a stretch; even if it’s unintentional, it just goes to show how unoriginal this all is.)
We got the surly, broody guardian to our orphan character that ends up dying (sorry for the spoiler, but this book sucks so much AND there is zero emotional weight to it, so you’re not missing anything) from Silver Elite—which in itself was a copy-and-paste book!
We’ve got the overarching plot of the “every 50 years there is a competition” from Alex Aster’s OWN books! She got so lazy she plagiarized herself! Quite a feat.
There was some Quicksilver/Brando Sando metal magic (ish), some Xaden broody, leans against a wall-ness, the “I’m doing this for my sister and I wear a braid to fight in this competition” Suzanne, get your lawyers on the phone now…
THE MEMORY TEARS from Half Blood and some ye old classic Draco Malfoy school bully character (yup we’re doing J.K. Rowling again)…
Romantasy, at this point, is just Charles II of Spain, unable to eat, walk, or reproduce because it has been so inbred that there is ZERO originality to be found.
People…authors… GO OUTSIDE! Talk to new people that aren’t just booktok people reading the same bullshit enemies to lovers books. Read a genre that isn’t the exact one you’re writing about! It doesn’t even have to be non fiction! Read a sci-fi book! Read a horror! Read a love story literary fiction! Read an actual well-written YA fantasy with a MINOR subplot of romance.
You’re all producing inbred romantasy children that have to be spoon fed!
And if you’re the children enjoying it, beyond the 10-foot radius you have blocked yourself within, there are good, action-packed books with yearning and interesting magic systems that aren’t just tropey, elemental garbage written at a 2nd grade level.
I beg you to explore and find them.
Anyways, thanks as always to Edelweiss for being that girl and letting me read an early ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a DNF (edit: I ended up reading the rest) because even my hate reads have limits. Alex Aster saw Lauren Roberts’ success (in evading a plagiarism lawsuit) and said “bet.”
I’ve truly never read a more poorly written, copy-and-paste book in my entire life. Like, if you’re 13 and have never read anything beyond The Babysitter’s Club before, you might like this. But, if you’ve read even one contemporary YA fantasy-ish book before this, you’ve read this book and I can’t see how you’d enjoy it.
And this is YA—despite Alex Aster stamping an “adult” label on it. I’m sure it has smut in it later (it did and it was baaaad) and they say “fuck” a lot, but if you take out those two things, this is a young YA novel, borderline middle grade.
Nothing in here is original (and don’t give me the “nothing nowadays is original”) people who say that are too chronically online and are simply reading the same tropes over and over and over again. Even things that are inspired by other things are still able to put a twist on it.
This has no twist on ANYTHING. Suzanne Collins (among many authors) needs to sue because the blatant copying in this was insane!
We got the undead bodies beneath a bog attacking our fmc as well as the classic, “she made a vulgar gesture at him.” Okay, Sarah…
We get the “pretend” make out against a wall scene from The Powerless series. Between these two authors, they’re quite literally copying from each other. The literary incest is rampant.
We get the corset tying scene from Fourth Wing, like almost beat for beat.
We get the two halves of a whole (this time it’s swords, whereas in Harry Potter it’s the two feathers from the same Phoenix for their wands)
We get the fuck in a cave and then the betrayal duel ending scene from Serpent and the Wings of Night.
Aster decided to go a bit farther back and take from George R. R. Martin: our sassy fmc has a dragon and, get this, cannot be burned in a fire. Bet ya never heard that one before, aye? (In writing this I just remembered our fmc is named Aris—Daenerys. Daen-erys. Erys. Aris. I don’t care if you think that’s a stretch; even if it’s unintentional, it just goes to show how unoriginal this all is.)
We got the surly, broody guardian to our orphan character that ends up dying (sorry for the spoiler, but this book sucks so much AND there is zero emotional weight to it, so you’re not missing anything) from Silver Elite—which in itself was a copy-and-paste book!
We’ve got the overarching plot of the “every 50 years there is a competition” from Alex Aster’s OWN books! She got so lazy she plagiarized herself! Quite a feat.
There was some Quicksilver/Brando Sando metal magic (ish), some Xaden broody, leans against a wall-ness, the “I’m doing this for my sister and I wear a braid to fight in this competition” Suzanne, get your lawyers on the phone now…
THE MEMORY TEARS from Half Blood and some ye old classic Draco Malfoy school bully character (yup we’re doing J.K. Rowling again)…
Romantasy, at this point, is just Charles II of Spain, unable to eat, walk, or reproduce because it has been so inbred that there is ZERO originality to be found.
People…authors… GO OUTSIDE! Talk to new people that aren’t just booktok people reading the same bullshit enemies to lovers books. Read a genre that isn’t the exact one you’re writing about! It doesn’t even have to be non fiction! Read a sci-fi book! Read a horror! Read a love story literary fiction! Read an actual well-written YA fantasy with a MINOR subplot of romance.
You’re all producing inbred romantasy children that have to be spoon fed!
And if you’re the children enjoying it, beyond the 10-foot radius you have blocked yourself within, there are good, action-packed books with yearning and interesting magic systems that aren’t just tropey, elemental garbage written at a 2nd grade level.
I beg you to explore and find them.
Anyways, thanks as always to Edelweiss for being that girl and letting me read an early ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 13, 2025
Trial fatigue has been a real struggle of mine lately but this was thoroughly entertaining. Alex Aster needs to continue writing adult romantasy because this was GOOD. Genuinely love the way the last 30 pages of the book made me feel, a great start to a new series. FUN!!
April 1, 2026
Holy. Shit.
I couldn’t put this down! Read/listened to this in one day! I didn’t want it to end. THIS 👏🏻 WAS 👏🏻 SO 👏🏻 GOOD! Phenomenal!! Fast pace, tension and banter that was DELISH! I don’t think I took a breath the last few chapters! Feminine RAGE! Aris is a BAD ASS, but still had those moments of doubt and weakness. However, she used those low moments to fuel herself and push herself to pick herself back up!
Raker! Oh you sweet, brooooooooooody man! Enemies to lovers! The SLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW burn was BURNING! And when it hit - it ATE!
I freaking loved this book! Alex! I need the next one! Bravo! We have been fed!
I couldn’t put this down! Read/listened to this in one day! I didn’t want it to end. THIS 👏🏻 WAS 👏🏻 SO 👏🏻 GOOD! Phenomenal!! Fast pace, tension and banter that was DELISH! I don’t think I took a breath the last few chapters! Feminine RAGE! Aris is a BAD ASS, but still had those moments of doubt and weakness. However, she used those low moments to fuel herself and push herself to pick herself back up!
Raker! Oh you sweet, brooooooooooody man! Enemies to lovers! The SLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW burn was BURNING! And when it hit - it ATE!
I freaking loved this book! Alex! I need the next one! Bravo! We have been fed!
April 1, 2026
This book cured my romantasy burnout.
The fast pace right from the start made me want to devour this book. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it and telling everyone I know to read it even though I hadn't yet finished. Now that I have finished, I fear I will become insufferable talking about it constantly.
The world building is complex, while not overwhelming. I love the detailed map in my physical copy. There are so many of the best elements of romantasy tied in to this book in the most epic way. Some of my favorite [out of context] components of the book: magical lands, enchanted structures, fantastical beasts, bada** swords, fire, plot twists.
Not to mention a true enemies to lovers tale. I mean talk about morally grey characters hating each other.
Hate. Me. Harder.
The fast pace right from the start made me want to devour this book. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it and telling everyone I know to read it even though I hadn't yet finished. Now that I have finished, I fear I will become insufferable talking about it constantly.
The world building is complex, while not overwhelming. I love the detailed map in my physical copy. There are so many of the best elements of romantasy tied in to this book in the most epic way. Some of my favorite [out of context] components of the book: magical lands, enchanted structures, fantastical beasts, bada** swords, fire, plot twists.
Not to mention a true enemies to lovers tale. I mean talk about morally grey characters hating each other.
Hate. Me. Harder.
April 19, 2026
What. The. Fuck.
Worst cliffhanger in HISTORY
but dare i say best read of 2026…
Alex.. i need that second book…
Worst cliffhanger in HISTORY
but dare i say best read of 2026…
Alex.. i need that second book…
Currently Reading
March 29, 2026The character art convinced me. 😔😔😔😔
February 9, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (honestly… 6 stars!?)
Fully biased because I love everything Alex Aster writes, but Starside had me in a chokehold from page one. Her debut adult romantasy is immersive, addictive, and driven by a very strong plot.
I was incredibly lucky to receive physical copy #34 of 100 ahead of the March 2026 release, and I’m still not over it 🥹 The twists were completely unexpected and left my jaw on the floor. I’m still shook and already feral for book two 🤭
With true enemies-to-lovers tension, the slowest burn imaginable, a unique sword-based magic system, and humans questing for magic in an immortal world, Starside is plot-forward with a romantic subplot that had me locked in. Add moments of feminine rage and a dragon, and consider me fully SOLD ⚔️
This one is going to be huge for romantasy fans! Thank you to Alex Aster, her marketer Kelsey, and Avon Publishing (HarperCollins) for this absolute dream of an opportunity 🥹🩶
Fully biased because I love everything Alex Aster writes, but Starside had me in a chokehold from page one. Her debut adult romantasy is immersive, addictive, and driven by a very strong plot.
I was incredibly lucky to receive physical copy #34 of 100 ahead of the March 2026 release, and I’m still not over it 🥹 The twists were completely unexpected and left my jaw on the floor. I’m still shook and already feral for book two 🤭
With true enemies-to-lovers tension, the slowest burn imaginable, a unique sword-based magic system, and humans questing for magic in an immortal world, Starside is plot-forward with a romantic subplot that had me locked in. Add moments of feminine rage and a dragon, and consider me fully SOLD ⚔️
This one is going to be huge for romantasy fans! Thank you to Alex Aster, her marketer Kelsey, and Avon Publishing (HarperCollins) for this absolute dream of an opportunity 🥹🩶
April 13, 2026
I need to calm down before I can review this lmao
April 4, 2026
A fantasy full of action that gets better with each chapter
4.5 ⭐️
“Starside” is Alex Aster's first attempt at adult fantasy, and I can say it's a great start. I had already read three books from “Lightlark,” Aster's young adult series, and I always had a lot of fun reading them, even with some cliché scenes and the very simple writing style. And the same happened with “Starside”.
Now, speaking specifically about the book… it's full of adventure, one after another, action moments one after another, and you have very little time to breathe (which in a fantasy I find sensational). The story is frenetic, with a relatively moderate level of violence, considering the adult fantasy books that are being released, and with a very interesting, albeit simple, world. Full of magical creatures, but my favorite was the dragon. Dragons, in this case. No spoilers, I promise.
I think it's important to mention that yes, the book has a trial, and I'm getting tired of that kind of narrative in books, but I felt that in "Starside" it worked perfectly, especially because it creates a somewhat unique structure for how it evolves until you reach the end and win (or not).
The last 30% or so of the book are very intense, even more interesting than what came before, but I also need to say that the story gets more and more violent. And specifically, a scene where she's naked made me extremely uncomfortable; I won't say anything more because it would be a spoiler, but it seems that the discomfort was precisely what the author wanted, and it worked. I think when you read it you'll understand. Now, I must say, the last 5%????? Absolutely sensational. I think the writing improved chapter by chapter. I have to say that I had already guessed the plot twist, but it was still good.
The enemies-to-lovers dynamic is very good, and it has a whole context. I was caught in a non-stop love-hate loop, and it was definitely well-planned, especially to make things even more exciting at the end. What an ending! I also wanted to mention that, as is tradition with Alex Aster's books for me, I read the audiobook and I want to give the narrators immense praise. It was even more exciting to experience everything with their delivery.
However, something that bothered me quite a bit, probably because I didn't notice it in the young adult writing style of Alex Aster's other books, was the insistence on using profanity, and one specific swear word appears far too many times, unnecessarily. I have nothing against profanity in books, but too much of anything can hinder the reading experience. I also found it unnecessary to have a long chapter just for a long sex scene, but I understand the purpose. To be honest, that's the only reason the rating wasn't higher.
Finally, I'm sure I'll be thinking about this book many times over the next few months and I'm incredibly eager to read what comes next.
Talking about this book: https://youtu.be/P0toVkCLsXA
4.5 ⭐️
“Starside” is Alex Aster's first attempt at adult fantasy, and I can say it's a great start. I had already read three books from “Lightlark,” Aster's young adult series, and I always had a lot of fun reading them, even with some cliché scenes and the very simple writing style. And the same happened with “Starside”.
Now, speaking specifically about the book… it's full of adventure, one after another, action moments one after another, and you have very little time to breathe (which in a fantasy I find sensational). The story is frenetic, with a relatively moderate level of violence, considering the adult fantasy books that are being released, and with a very interesting, albeit simple, world. Full of magical creatures, but my favorite was the dragon. Dragons, in this case. No spoilers, I promise.
I think it's important to mention that yes, the book has a trial, and I'm getting tired of that kind of narrative in books, but I felt that in "Starside" it worked perfectly, especially because it creates a somewhat unique structure for how it evolves until you reach the end and win (or not).
The last 30% or so of the book are very intense, even more interesting than what came before, but I also need to say that the story gets more and more violent. And specifically, a scene where she's naked made me extremely uncomfortable; I won't say anything more because it would be a spoiler, but it seems that the discomfort was precisely what the author wanted, and it worked. I think when you read it you'll understand. Now, I must say, the last 5%????? Absolutely sensational. I think the writing improved chapter by chapter. I have to say that I had already guessed the plot twist, but it was still good.
The enemies-to-lovers dynamic is very good, and it has a whole context. I was caught in a non-stop love-hate loop, and it was definitely well-planned, especially to make things even more exciting at the end. What an ending! I also wanted to mention that, as is tradition with Alex Aster's books for me, I read the audiobook and I want to give the narrators immense praise. It was even more exciting to experience everything with their delivery.
However, something that bothered me quite a bit, probably because I didn't notice it in the young adult writing style of Alex Aster's other books, was the insistence on using profanity, and one specific swear word appears far too many times, unnecessarily. I have nothing against profanity in books, but too much of anything can hinder the reading experience. I also found it unnecessary to have a long chapter just for a long sex scene, but I understand the purpose. To be honest, that's the only reason the rating wasn't higher.
Finally, I'm sure I'll be thinking about this book many times over the next few months and I'm incredibly eager to read what comes next.
Talking about this book: https://youtu.be/P0toVkCLsXA
March 31, 2026
I need to sit on this for a sec, RTC 🫶🏼
April 21, 2026
ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ✦ . ⁺ . 3.3 - 3.5 ☆ . ⁺ . ✦
ㅤ ㅤ ˋ°•*⁀➷ㅤmight contain spoilers ❗
ㅤ I really, truly wanted to love this book. I wanted to enjoy it fully and confidently give it a much higher rating. But unfortunately, it fell short on too many levels for me to overlook.
ㅤ What makes it even more frustrating is the sheer amount of potential it had. The ideas were there, the foundation was promising, but the execution ended up being more disappointing than anything else.
ㅤ ㅤ “There is nothing stronger than a woman underestimated.”
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ honest thoughts
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ I think my main issue with this book was the writing itself. Somehow, it failed to present the story in the way it deserved. I am not entirely sure whether it is the style, the structure, or something more subtle, but there was a constant sense that something was slightly off. It kept me from fully immersing myself in the narrative, no matter how much I wanted to.
ㅤ Perhaps this is simply the author’s typical style, I cannot say, since I have not read her other works. But if anyone has read both this and Lightlark, I would be genuinely curious to know whether this is consistent or just an unfortunate exception.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ I genuinely cannot stand those “sarcastic” inner monologues that read like a rejected script from a 2000s teenage movie. And this book had far too many of them. They completely disrupt the reading experience. I am trying to immerse myself in a story, not watch an edgy high-school protagonist narrate her life like she just discovered sarcasm yesterday. It pulls me out of the atmosphere every single time.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ I am usually the last person to complain about a slow-paced book. If anything, I tend to enjoy them more as they give me time to settle in, to absorb the world properly. But this? This felt tedious in an unnecessary way. The first 200 pages were genuinely difficult to get through. I was not immersed; I was bored. The constant cycle of characters travelling from one place to another, encountering a mix of monsters and conveniently kind strangers, started to feel repetitive rather than engaging.
ㅤ It did improve somewhat later on, becoming at least a bit more interesting and easier to follow. Still, I cannot help but think this would have benefited from being shorter. A tighter narrative would have made a significant difference.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ The repetition genuinely started to wear me down at some point… how many times can we be reminded of this man’s size before it becomes a running joke? Yes, we understand, he is big, intimidating,HIS DICK IS, THANKFULLY, ALSO HUGE. Message received. Loud and clear. There is no need to underline it in every other paragraph.
ㅤ I am absolutely not opposed to a well-executed size kink, far from it. I am a proud woman who can admit she likes her fair share of kinks. But when it is repeated to this extent, it loses all impact and starts to feel almost comical rather than appealing.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ The romance? Interesting, but I felt oddly disconnected from it, to the point where it became more frustrating than engaging. I could see the potential; I liked the direction it was heading, the tension, the hesitation, but it never quite delivered the emotional depth I needed.
ㅤ At this point, I am expecting the next book to compensate with some truly insane angst. And that man? He better be grovelling his way through every possible layer of regret. (not that the FMC necessarily deserves it, but I simply want to witness it for myself)
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ The plot, and somehow the ending, honestly saved this book for me. I really loved the core idea, as well as the world and the story it was trying to tell. It was intriguing and engaging enough to make me push past the elements that did not quite work for me and simply enjoy the narrative for what it was.
ㅤ Of course, there are things I would have liked to see handled differently, and perhaps a touch more originality here and there would have elevated it even further. But overall, the plot itself was undeniably solid.
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ characters
ㅤ ⊹ Aris — Apart from her rather unhealthy obsession with certain hand sizes (i don't even know...don't ask me anything...), I found myself genuinely confused by her as a character. I wanted to like her, I really did, but more than once I caught myself feeling bored whenever she was the focus. She has all the expected traits: brave, determined, fuelled by anger and resentment. And yet, her stubbornness often crosses into something far more frustrating, making her difficult to connect with at times. Her convictions occasionally just felt exhausting for me.
ㅤ And honestly, I have to ask, did the author have something against her? Because it genuinely feels like every possible misfortune a character can endure was thrown at this girl. At some point, it stopped adding depth and just became excessive and predictable. I really need her to get an insane character development soon.
ㅤ ⊹ Raker — Oh boy 🫠🫠 the things I would let this man do to me, the way I would willingly abandon all sense of morality for him. I would defend him blindly, right or wrong, it would not matter. There is no shade of red bright enough to make me reconsider; I am entirely, unapologetically in for anything coming from this red flag of a man.
ㅤ That said, what felt slightly off was how heavily the narrative leaned into building him up as this irresistible, complex figure. The author seemed so focused on making him captivating that he ended up completely overshadowing the FMC. She simply could not compete, and that imbalance became increasingly noticeable. At some point, it stopped enhancing the story and started to feel more like a disservice to her character.
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ should you read this?
ㅤ I am not entirely sure what to say here. I am leaning toward a cautious yes, mainly because of the intriguing concept, the captivating world, and the potential I still hope future books will explore.
ㅤ At its core, this is a gorgeous idea with a genuinely compelling plot, one that, unfortunately, never feels fully realised. The writing does not quite rise to the level of the story it is trying to tell. Still, for the sake of that potential, and the hope that the next instalments will do it justice, I will continue the series. And, tentatively, I would still recommend it for the strength of its premise alone.
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍendㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
ㅤ ᯓ ✿ pre-reading ⪼ ㅤ started ┆13-April- 2026┆
ㅤ ㅤ ⤿ tbh I am pretty excited about this book and all those GORGEOUS fanarts definitely played a part in heightening my interest 😌
ㅤ ㅤ ˋ°•*⁀➷ㅤmight contain spoilers ❗
ㅤ I really, truly wanted to love this book. I wanted to enjoy it fully and confidently give it a much higher rating. But unfortunately, it fell short on too many levels for me to overlook.
ㅤ What makes it even more frustrating is the sheer amount of potential it had. The ideas were there, the foundation was promising, but the execution ended up being more disappointing than anything else.
ㅤ ㅤ “There is nothing stronger than a woman underestimated.”
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ honest thoughts
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ I think my main issue with this book was the writing itself. Somehow, it failed to present the story in the way it deserved. I am not entirely sure whether it is the style, the structure, or something more subtle, but there was a constant sense that something was slightly off. It kept me from fully immersing myself in the narrative, no matter how much I wanted to.
ㅤ Perhaps this is simply the author’s typical style, I cannot say, since I have not read her other works. But if anyone has read both this and Lightlark, I would be genuinely curious to know whether this is consistent or just an unfortunate exception.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ I genuinely cannot stand those “sarcastic” inner monologues that read like a rejected script from a 2000s teenage movie. And this book had far too many of them. They completely disrupt the reading experience. I am trying to immerse myself in a story, not watch an edgy high-school protagonist narrate her life like she just discovered sarcasm yesterday. It pulls me out of the atmosphere every single time.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ I am usually the last person to complain about a slow-paced book. If anything, I tend to enjoy them more as they give me time to settle in, to absorb the world properly. But this? This felt tedious in an unnecessary way. The first 200 pages were genuinely difficult to get through. I was not immersed; I was bored. The constant cycle of characters travelling from one place to another, encountering a mix of monsters and conveniently kind strangers, started to feel repetitive rather than engaging.
ㅤ It did improve somewhat later on, becoming at least a bit more interesting and easier to follow. Still, I cannot help but think this would have benefited from being shorter. A tighter narrative would have made a significant difference.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ The repetition genuinely started to wear me down at some point… how many times can we be reminded of this man’s size before it becomes a running joke? Yes, we understand, he is big, intimidating,
ㅤ I am absolutely not opposed to a well-executed size kink, far from it. I am a proud woman who can admit she likes her fair share of kinks. But when it is repeated to this extent, it loses all impact and starts to feel almost comical rather than appealing.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ The romance? Interesting, but I felt oddly disconnected from it, to the point where it became more frustrating than engaging. I could see the potential; I liked the direction it was heading, the tension, the hesitation, but it never quite delivered the emotional depth I needed.
ㅤ At this point, I am expecting the next book to compensate with some truly insane angst. And that man? He better be grovelling his way through every possible layer of regret. (not that the FMC necessarily deserves it, but I simply want to witness it for myself)
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ The plot, and somehow the ending, honestly saved this book for me. I really loved the core idea, as well as the world and the story it was trying to tell. It was intriguing and engaging enough to make me push past the elements that did not quite work for me and simply enjoy the narrative for what it was.
ㅤ Of course, there are things I would have liked to see handled differently, and perhaps a touch more originality here and there would have elevated it even further. But overall, the plot itself was undeniably solid.
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ characters
ㅤ ⊹ Aris — Apart from her rather unhealthy obsession with certain hand sizes (i don't even know...don't ask me anything...), I found myself genuinely confused by her as a character. I wanted to like her, I really did, but more than once I caught myself feeling bored whenever she was the focus. She has all the expected traits: brave, determined, fuelled by anger and resentment. And yet, her stubbornness often crosses into something far more frustrating, making her difficult to connect with at times. Her convictions occasionally just felt exhausting for me.
ㅤ And honestly, I have to ask, did the author have something against her? Because it genuinely feels like every possible misfortune a character can endure was thrown at this girl. At some point, it stopped adding depth and just became excessive and predictable. I really need her to get an insane character development soon.
ㅤ ⊹ Raker — Oh boy 🫠🫠 the things I would let this man do to me, the way I would willingly abandon all sense of morality for him. I would defend him blindly, right or wrong, it would not matter. There is no shade of red bright enough to make me reconsider; I am entirely, unapologetically in for anything coming from this red flag of a man.
ㅤ That said, what felt slightly off was how heavily the narrative leaned into building him up as this irresistible, complex figure. The author seemed so focused on making him captivating that he ended up completely overshadowing the FMC. She simply could not compete, and that imbalance became increasingly noticeable. At some point, it stopped enhancing the story and started to feel more like a disservice to her character.
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ should you read this?
ㅤ I am not entirely sure what to say here. I am leaning toward a cautious yes, mainly because of the intriguing concept, the captivating world, and the potential I still hope future books will explore.
ㅤ At its core, this is a gorgeous idea with a genuinely compelling plot, one that, unfortunately, never feels fully realised. The writing does not quite rise to the level of the story it is trying to tell. Still, for the sake of that potential, and the hope that the next instalments will do it justice, I will continue the series. And, tentatively, I would still recommend it for the strength of its premise alone.
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍendㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
ㅤ ᯓ ✿ pre-reading ⪼ ㅤ started ┆13-April- 2026┆
ㅤ ㅤ ⤿ tbh I am pretty excited about this book and all those GORGEOUS fanarts definitely played a part in heightening my interest 😌
![Profile Image for kimberly ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡. [semi-hiatus].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1768626133i/167301477._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
Want to Read
September 19, 2025i'm sorry but this reads like a lightlark fanfic au 💀
March 22, 2026
I can not praise this book enough. I was hooked from the start and the cliffhanger is illegal lol. Alex Aster has truly outdone herself with her first adult romantasy. The plot was plotting in the best way. The world building was so descriptive without overdoing it. The tension between Aris and Raker was chefs kiss 🤌🏼 I can’t wait for more. For anyone who thought this would be similar to Lightlark, it was not. It felt new and exciting in my opinion. I will be rereading this when I get the physical copy of my book since I was able to read this as an ebook for being a VIP Member on her website.
Currently Reading
April 10, 2026|𝐏𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 ꨄ︎₊⊹
𝖯𝖾𝗈𝗉𝗅𝖾 𝖾𝗂𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖱𝖤𝖠𝖫𝖫𝖸 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝗂𝗍, 𝗈𝗋 𝖱𝖤𝖠𝖫𝖫𝖸 𝗁𝖺𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗂𝗍. 𝖢𝖺𝗇'𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗂𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗈𝗇 𝗐𝗂𝖼𝗁 𝗌𝗂𝖽𝖾 𝖨'𝗅𝗅 𝖻𝖾, 𝖨 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗆𝗂𝗑𝖾𝖽 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝖾𝖼𝗍𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝖨'𝗅𝗅 𝗁𝗈𝗉𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝗌𝗍 🤞🏻.
𝖯𝖾𝗈𝗉𝗅𝖾 𝖾𝗂𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖱𝖤𝖠𝖫𝖫𝖸 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝗂𝗍, 𝗈𝗋 𝖱𝖤𝖠𝖫𝖫𝖸 𝗁𝖺𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗂𝗍. 𝖢𝖺𝗇'𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗂𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗈𝗇 𝗐𝗂𝖼𝗁 𝗌𝗂𝖽𝖾 𝖨'𝗅𝗅 𝖻𝖾, 𝖨 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗆𝗂𝗑𝖾𝖽 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝖾𝖼𝗍𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝖨'𝗅𝗅 𝗁𝗈𝗉𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝗌𝗍 🤞🏻.
Currently Reading
December 3, 2025Isla and Grim will return in Avengers: Doomsday
April 6, 2026
September 12, 2025
I don't care what it's about, if Alex writes it I'm reading it.
April 5, 2026
OK now that ive read the book I can say... wtf was that. I do typically enjoy alex aster's writing style and characters but dang this was rough. it felt very YA even though it was labeled an adult novel. the use of the word "fuck" does not make the book "adult". idk i guess we'll just have to wait and see where this story goes and hopefully it stays a trilogy (looking at lightlark -_-)
I don't care what it's about, if Alex writes it I'm reading it.
April 5, 2026
OK now that ive read the book I can say... wtf was that. I do typically enjoy alex aster's writing style and characters but dang this was rough. it felt very YA even though it was labeled an adult novel. the use of the word "fuck" does not make the book "adult". idk i guess we'll just have to wait and see where this story goes and hopefully it stays a trilogy (looking at lightlark -_-)
March 31, 2026
dnf. I realised I don't have to put myself through this. This was a form of ragebait.
this is marketed as adult romantasy, but this is just plain YA fantasy. (they say this is an adult book because the main character is constantly cursing and apparently there's smut... yikes). ACTUALLY, I've read YA books with better writing. Some paragraphs NEED to be rewritten. Misplaced commas, the excessive amount of ellipsis...Does Alex Aster know she's writing a book and not a text message? At what point do we start questioning editors and agents for allowing a DRAFT of a book to be published?
If I had a penny for each time the main character thinks or says shit and fuck, I would be rich by now.
This book reads like she chose different stories and stitched them together (rather clumsily if I may add). It's the hunger games with silver elite, with babel with powerless and fourth wing all together in one. Crazy stuff to say the least.
"The Questral only happens every fifty years. Fifty of us mortals will be allowed past the gates, into the land of the immortals, to undergo a deadly journey." And we see them walking around the tower of knowledge with an immortal who's curious about humans. GOODBYE.
"No one stops me, assuming I’m just a fellow onlooker. They must see the lack of muscle. Lack of sword. Lack of height. Pale skin without the healthy flush of nourishment. Hardly enough to go against heirs and warriors who have trained their entire lives for this day. Volunteering for the quest, in their eyes, would be a death sentence."
And she goes and does exactly THAT as seen here: "But when the guard’s silver sword comes crashing down, I throw myself in front of the boy without thinking. The dagger I’ve tried so hard to hide slips from my sleeve, and I turn it midair, until the cold hilt hits my palm. I lift it right in front of my face at the last moment. Close my eyes tightly.The guard’s sword slams against my dagger with bone-rattling force a second later.And there’s a glorious crash as that silver shatters."
OF COURSE.
There's a lengthy description of her hair and hairstyles that reminded me of the WATTPAD books I used to read when I was thirteen. But they swear this is an adult romantasy book. As we say in Portuguese: juro joca!
"“I can’t,” I say, tears blurring my vision. “Fool,” he says, and then he dies."
This was so ridiculous!!! I had to laugh.
Also, I thought we were over rude MMCs, but apparently I was wrong.
It seems some authors have forgotten a fundamental lesson: we don't write in the same manner as we speak.
The end.
this is marketed as adult romantasy, but this is just plain YA fantasy. (they say this is an adult book because the main character is constantly cursing and apparently there's smut... yikes). ACTUALLY, I've read YA books with better writing. Some paragraphs NEED to be rewritten. Misplaced commas, the excessive amount of ellipsis...Does Alex Aster know she's writing a book and not a text message? At what point do we start questioning editors and agents for allowing a DRAFT of a book to be published?
If I had a penny for each time the main character thinks or says shit and fuck, I would be rich by now.
This book reads like she chose different stories and stitched them together (rather clumsily if I may add). It's the hunger games with silver elite, with babel with powerless and fourth wing all together in one. Crazy stuff to say the least.
"The Questral only happens every fifty years. Fifty of us mortals will be allowed past the gates, into the land of the immortals, to undergo a deadly journey." And we see them walking around the tower of knowledge with an immortal who's curious about humans. GOODBYE.
"No one stops me, assuming I’m just a fellow onlooker. They must see the lack of muscle. Lack of sword. Lack of height. Pale skin without the healthy flush of nourishment. Hardly enough to go against heirs and warriors who have trained their entire lives for this day. Volunteering for the quest, in their eyes, would be a death sentence."
And she goes and does exactly THAT as seen here: "But when the guard’s silver sword comes crashing down, I throw myself in front of the boy without thinking. The dagger I’ve tried so hard to hide slips from my sleeve, and I turn it midair, until the cold hilt hits my palm. I lift it right in front of my face at the last moment. Close my eyes tightly.The guard’s sword slams against my dagger with bone-rattling force a second later.And there’s a glorious crash as that silver shatters."
OF COURSE.
There's a lengthy description of her hair and hairstyles that reminded me of the WATTPAD books I used to read when I was thirteen. But they swear this is an adult romantasy book. As we say in Portuguese: juro joca!
"“I can’t,” I say, tears blurring my vision. “Fool,” he says, and then he dies."
This was so ridiculous!!! I had to laugh.
Also, I thought we were over rude MMCs, but apparently I was wrong.
It seems some authors have forgotten a fundamental lesson: we don't write in the same manner as we speak.
The end.
Want to Read
September 13, 2025☆彡pre-release: 13th sept, 25
ALEX OH MY GOSH I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. NO WAY THIS IS COMING OUT ON THE DATE OF MY BIRTHDAY NEXT YEAR. IS THIS A SIGN?! 🥹😭💕
ALEX OH MY GOSH I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. NO WAY THIS IS COMING OUT ON THE DATE OF MY BIRTHDAY NEXT YEAR. IS THIS A SIGN?! 🥹😭💕
April 12, 2026
I'm going to try so hard to be fair and write a concise review.
This is not a two star read, it is more like 2.5/5
Was there potential? Yes.
were some of the concepts cool? yes
was the execution good? Nope. It was not.
Man where do I even begin?
Let's start with Aris and how inconsistent of a character she is.
Is she supposed to be an underdog defying the odds or a strong capable and skilled warrior? Well it depends on which bloody chapter you're reading.
She starts off struggling, barely making it into the Culling. She makes it through to the Questral on pure luck. The only reason she didn't die is because this Starside steel blade claimed her. If it hadn't, she'd be dead.
Except the blade is too heavy for her to hold. But don't worry, by the time the fifty days are up, she's somehow much stronger (despite being starving for most of the journey) and well-trained. Because you know... she's the main character I guess.
Literally she is almost dying every other chapter and then we get to this part (halfway ish through the book?) when these random immortals kidnap her and she just...suddenly can slay nine of them by herself. I don't get it. I don't understand.
Let's talk about the overstuffed plot full of nonsense because every two seconds something is trying to kill them. I mean, it doesn't even make sense half the time.
For example, when all the fifty competitors make it through the gates of Starside, they're all still...rivals? I am not even sure why. They made it! They could literally work together to reach the land of gods and claim magic, but for some reason they choose to waste time trying to kill each other for reasons that are still unknown. The conflicts and adversaries Aris faces are so forced with little explanation.
She has this one competitor who is obsessed with killing her literally just so that he can have her sword because she just got claimed by the most special goodest sword so everyone wants it. Apparently there are no other Starside steel blades in Starside. or they are very rare or something.
I mean this guy (Cadoc) literally claims a dragon and gets to save so much time flying to the end but for some reason he chose to randomly kill a competitor who was trying to just get back home. Oh, to take her sword? Which is silver? and he already has a good sword and a Starside dagger?
the motivation is so weak.
And then when Aris gets to the end, he is there waiting for her? Because he couldn't just take the magic and fly back to the gates and he somehow knew she was still alive so he just waited at the end for days (I am assuming) so that he could kill her.
Cadoc has enough weapons and armor but somehow he just needs more. he has a dragon, and I am assuming he got his cup of magic, but goshdangit, what will he do if he doesn't kill Aris?!
Probably just go home...and live really nicely.
The whole journey is spent either facing something that's trying to kill them and then coming upon someone who is just nice enough to feed them and house them for free. Literally they are aided by two different tavern owners, a hunter in the woods, these women of a traveling city, and then an immortal that her guardian told her to find. (All for free too! amazing!)
Now Aris is super grateful for all the help she gets right up until she calls upon Vander Evran (the immortal she was told to find by her guardian). And he is nice enough to portal them out of where they were trapped and offer them food and shelter.
is Aris grateful? Obviously not because he is an attractive man.
He says "Dine with me. Then we will discuss the medicine."
and Aris basically gets all bratty because "HE IS ORDERING ME. UGH." (she's literally starving, by the way) and continues to be rude and say stupid stuff like "I'm sorry, was I supposed to bow?" (Again, this guy literally just saved her life)
I had to roll my eyes so many times.
Oh and let's talk about the dragon that's marketed. Yes because of course Aris gets claimed by one. The dragon literally just does whatever the author needs it to. In this instance, it saves Aris. It swoops and catches her as she's falling and then just flies with Aris unconscious on her back all night. (I'm not sure how this works) and then when Cadoc comes straight for Aris, (because he's just so obsessed with killing her) Aris tells her dragon to leave and it just does.
We do not see the dragon again until the very end of the book.
which is super convenient and forces Aris to beg Raker to allow her to travel with him.
Now, why is Aris even on this journey to begin with? Well she's here to kill the goddess that murdered her family. How is she going to do that?
Good question.
She gets to the end, Raker has left her, this is convenient timing for her dragon to magically reappear. She crosses into the land of the gods, immediately finds a cup of magic, and then calls in the god of travels. This is the goddess who murdered her family and she wants to make a deal with Aris. So Aris swears an oath not to kill the goddess if the goddess tells her how to get her family back.
the goddess tells her she must kill the god of death and then Aris calls her dragon (which she just at the end of the book figured out how to do) and the dragon just ...eats the goddess. It's the most rushed plot point ever and I had to put the book down.
Anyway, if you like vibes and actual enemies, then you will probably enjoy this book. Just ignore details that might bother any person with common sense.
Don't ask questions like
"How is silver the strongest metal when it's a soft metal?"
"How are they swordfighting on the back of a flying dragon?"
"How is she sweating buckets in a long sleeved shirt but Raker is apparently fine in full body armor?"
"How does Raker swim in full body armor?"
"How does Raker travel at all in full body armor?"
"If Raker's armor is unscratched because he's never been touched by a blade, why does he wear it all? especially on a quest where it would be more beneficial to be faster?"
"Why are they pressed against a wall making out because a demon is right there?"
"Why is Aris surprised that Raker betrayed her when he literally told her he would?"
"Why does every immortal in Starside want to either kill Aris or marry her?"
"How did Aris not get Tetanus if she was carved by rusty blades?"
"How did Aris just magically kill three armed men while naked...and unarmed?"
"How does Raker fight off wolves while Aris is wrapped around his front Koala style?"
there was way too much stuffed into this convoluted plot and most of it was not well thought out. almost everything has been done before by some other book.
Like the female stabbing the male through the heart (From Blood and Ash)
and there being a prophecy about "The paladin who was promised." (literally the exact quote---Throne of Glass)
and there's the bog scene where these swamp zombies try to kill them (Lord of the Rings? A Court of Silver Flames) Oh! also in this big scene, let me insert this fun little quote from the book:
"Then I follow Raker into the water.
It reaches his knees. At my height, it reaches my waist."
Word of advice, don't have sex. He'll kill you. (But they do and magically it's fine)
Dragons claiming humans (Fourth Wing)
Marks on her skin that must be hidden (KPop Demon Hunters)
The FMC can't be hurt by fire (Game of Thrones)
I apologize that this review is all over the place. In my defense, the book is all over the place.
I think that's all, but if I think of more, I will edit.
P.S. on page 158, AA accidentally referred to the Questral as the Centennial and somehow no editors caught it. ☠️
This is not a two star read, it is more like 2.5/5
Was there potential? Yes.
were some of the concepts cool? yes
was the execution good? Nope. It was not.
Man where do I even begin?
Let's start with Aris and how inconsistent of a character she is.
Is she supposed to be an underdog defying the odds or a strong capable and skilled warrior? Well it depends on which bloody chapter you're reading.
She starts off struggling, barely making it into the Culling. She makes it through to the Questral on pure luck. The only reason she didn't die is because this Starside steel blade claimed her. If it hadn't, she'd be dead.
Except the blade is too heavy for her to hold. But don't worry, by the time the fifty days are up, she's somehow much stronger (despite being starving for most of the journey) and well-trained. Because you know... she's the main character I guess.
Literally she is almost dying every other chapter and then we get to this part (halfway ish through the book?) when these random immortals kidnap her and she just...suddenly can slay nine of them by herself. I don't get it. I don't understand.
Let's talk about the overstuffed plot full of nonsense because every two seconds something is trying to kill them. I mean, it doesn't even make sense half the time.
For example, when all the fifty competitors make it through the gates of Starside, they're all still...rivals? I am not even sure why. They made it! They could literally work together to reach the land of gods and claim magic, but for some reason they choose to waste time trying to kill each other for reasons that are still unknown. The conflicts and adversaries Aris faces are so forced with little explanation.
She has this one competitor who is obsessed with killing her literally just so that he can have her sword because she just got claimed by the most special goodest sword so everyone wants it. Apparently there are no other Starside steel blades in Starside. or they are very rare or something.
I mean this guy (Cadoc) literally claims a dragon and gets to save so much time flying to the end but for some reason he chose to randomly kill a competitor who was trying to just get back home. Oh, to take her sword? Which is silver? and he already has a good sword and a Starside dagger?
the motivation is so weak.
And then when Aris gets to the end, he is there waiting for her? Because he couldn't just take the magic and fly back to the gates and he somehow knew she was still alive so he just waited at the end for days (I am assuming) so that he could kill her.
Cadoc has enough weapons and armor but somehow he just needs more. he has a dragon, and I am assuming he got his cup of magic, but goshdangit, what will he do if he doesn't kill Aris?!
Probably just go home...and live really nicely.
The whole journey is spent either facing something that's trying to kill them and then coming upon someone who is just nice enough to feed them and house them for free. Literally they are aided by two different tavern owners, a hunter in the woods, these women of a traveling city, and then an immortal that her guardian told her to find. (All for free too! amazing!)
Now Aris is super grateful for all the help she gets right up until she calls upon Vander Evran (the immortal she was told to find by her guardian). And he is nice enough to portal them out of where they were trapped and offer them food and shelter.
is Aris grateful? Obviously not because he is an attractive man.
He says "Dine with me. Then we will discuss the medicine."
and Aris basically gets all bratty because "HE IS ORDERING ME. UGH." (she's literally starving, by the way) and continues to be rude and say stupid stuff like "I'm sorry, was I supposed to bow?" (Again, this guy literally just saved her life)
I had to roll my eyes so many times.
Oh and let's talk about the dragon that's marketed. Yes because of course Aris gets claimed by one. The dragon literally just does whatever the author needs it to. In this instance, it saves Aris. It swoops and catches her as she's falling and then just flies with Aris unconscious on her back all night. (I'm not sure how this works) and then when Cadoc comes straight for Aris, (because he's just so obsessed with killing her) Aris tells her dragon to leave and it just does.
We do not see the dragon again until the very end of the book.
which is super convenient and forces Aris to beg Raker to allow her to travel with him.
Now, why is Aris even on this journey to begin with? Well she's here to kill the goddess that murdered her family. How is she going to do that?
Good question.
She gets to the end, Raker has left her, this is convenient timing for her dragon to magically reappear. She crosses into the land of the gods, immediately finds a cup of magic, and then calls in the god of travels. This is the goddess who murdered her family and she wants to make a deal with Aris. So Aris swears an oath not to kill the goddess if the goddess tells her how to get her family back.
the goddess tells her she must kill the god of death and then Aris calls her dragon (which she just at the end of the book figured out how to do) and the dragon just ...eats the goddess. It's the most rushed plot point ever and I had to put the book down.
Anyway, if you like vibes and actual enemies, then you will probably enjoy this book. Just ignore details that might bother any person with common sense.
Don't ask questions like
"How is silver the strongest metal when it's a soft metal?"
"How are they swordfighting on the back of a flying dragon?"
"How is she sweating buckets in a long sleeved shirt but Raker is apparently fine in full body armor?"
"How does Raker swim in full body armor?"
"How does Raker travel at all in full body armor?"
"If Raker's armor is unscratched because he's never been touched by a blade, why does he wear it all? especially on a quest where it would be more beneficial to be faster?"
"Why are they pressed against a wall making out because a demon is right there?"
"Why is Aris surprised that Raker betrayed her when he literally told her he would?"
"Why does every immortal in Starside want to either kill Aris or marry her?"
"How did Aris not get Tetanus if she was carved by rusty blades?"
"How did Aris just magically kill three armed men while naked...and unarmed?"
"How does Raker fight off wolves while Aris is wrapped around his front Koala style?"
there was way too much stuffed into this convoluted plot and most of it was not well thought out. almost everything has been done before by some other book.
Like the female stabbing the male through the heart (From Blood and Ash)
and there being a prophecy about "The paladin who was promised." (literally the exact quote---Throne of Glass)
and there's the bog scene where these swamp zombies try to kill them (Lord of the Rings? A Court of Silver Flames) Oh! also in this big scene, let me insert this fun little quote from the book:
"Then I follow Raker into the water.
It reaches his knees. At my height, it reaches my waist."
Word of advice, don't have sex. He'll kill you. (But they do and magically it's fine)
Dragons claiming humans (Fourth Wing)
Marks on her skin that must be hidden (KPop Demon Hunters)
The FMC can't be hurt by fire (Game of Thrones)
I apologize that this review is all over the place. In my defense, the book is all over the place.
I think that's all, but if I think of more, I will edit.
P.S. on page 158, AA accidentally referred to the Questral as the Centennial and somehow no editors caught it. ☠️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Currently Reading
April 18, 2026I finally got my hands on this edition. The story is divided between two worlds--The Starside (for immortals) and Stormside (for mortals with very limited magic). Every 50 years, the gates open and the mortals compete for a powerful magic tool. The story focuses mainly on Aris who wants revenge, not power. She wants to kill all the gods as vengeance for all the horrific events they caused. She comes across and retains a sword that everyone is after. To increase her chance of survival she must team up with the kings guard, Harlan Raker, a promised VERY MORALLY GREY MMC!
Early reviews are VERY positive, describing this as a true enemies-to-lovers fantasy with high stakes and lots of plot twists.
Quote: "Hate. Me. Harder."
This is Alex Asters debut adult fantasy but you probably know her for her Lightlark series.
Early reviews are VERY positive, describing this as a true enemies-to-lovers fantasy with high stakes and lots of plot twists.
Quote: "Hate. Me. Harder."
This is Alex Asters debut adult fantasy but you probably know her for her Lightlark series.
Currently Reading
April 21, 2026everyone is obsessed with this and i’m extremely curious. hopefully this is a hit! 🤧
April 19, 2026
HATE. ME. HARDER. ok harlan raker that’ll do it. 🥵
oh the endingggggg. yup that was a good one, action packed and twisty. their hate fuels this story and i was eating up every crumb.
would have loved to see more of the dragon and there were a few points that felt like they needed to be fleshed out a little more. but i looooved this one!
oh the endingggggg. yup that was a good one, action packed and twisty. their hate fuels this story and i was eating up every crumb.
would have loved to see more of the dragon and there were a few points that felt like they needed to be fleshed out a little more. but i looooved this one!
April 15, 2026
I've read all of the Lightlark saga currently out and I can confidently say this is the best fantasy book Aster has written to date. This isn't half bad! I actually had fun at certain parts and didn't find all the banter to be dull or monotonous. It's clear she's taken some criticism to heart as the story is cliché but there is a stronger understanding of what makes those aspects entertaining, lending to a much more cohesive narrative and world. I enjoyed the sword magic quite a lot!
Now, this isn't anything special. There is still an issue with pacing. There is a ton of repetition that should've been edited out...Like, a lot. The writing is uninspired and dull but at least understandable. There are also many aspects of the world that are shared with her Lightlark books, to the point that sometimes the narrative does feel like a retry at her original ideas within Lightlark but with more writing experience under her belt. Raker and Grim are basically the same person, in appearance and in lack of personality depth. They could be twins. Or clones. Oh, and there's quite a bit of Daenerys Targaryen thrown into this story. Just for fun, I guess.
I am pleasantly surprised with the lack of description of capes, though. I didn't know Aster had it in her to resist.
Now, this isn't anything special. There is still an issue with pacing. There is a ton of repetition that should've been edited out...Like, a lot. The writing is uninspired and dull but at least understandable. There are also many aspects of the world that are shared with her Lightlark books, to the point that sometimes the narrative does feel like a retry at her original ideas within Lightlark but with more writing experience under her belt. Raker and Grim are basically the same person, in appearance and in lack of personality depth. They could be twins. Or clones. Oh, and there's quite a bit of Daenerys Targaryen thrown into this story. Just for fun, I guess.
I am pleasantly surprised with the lack of description of capes, though. I didn't know Aster had it in her to resist.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This review is based on my own personal experience reading this book, and I also want to address the lengthy one-star review claiming this work of art is “literary incest”—because that’s simply not true. Not only is that claim exaggerated, but it completely overlooks how well-written and thoughtfully crafted this story actually is.
My experience with Starside by Alex Aster was the complete opposite — this was an EASY 6 star read for me.
First off, the plagiarism claims feel wildly exaggerated. Are there a couple moments where a scene reminds you of something else? Sure — I clocked maybe two instances where the situation felt familiar. But that’s not copy-paste, that’s tropes and genre overlap. There’s a huge difference between inspiration and imitation, and this book absolutely stays in its own lane.
What made this book stand out for me was how immersive it felt. The world-building? Genuinely so creative and vivid. The magic, the setting, the stakes — it all felt intentional and fresh, not recycled. And the character arcs?? You can literally feel the growth happening in real time.
And the enemies-to-lovers??? OBSESSED. This is what I want when I pick up that trope — tension, slow burn, actual emotional payoff. Not surface-level banter, but real conflict and chemistry.
Also I NEED to talk about that plot twist because WHAT??? I did NOT see it coming at all. Like jaw-on-the-floor, stare-at-the-wall-after-reading kind of twist.
And then Alex really just said “here’s your 15-page romance scene in the final stretch” just to emotionally destroy us and leave us hanging off THAT cliffhanger??? Criminal behavior. I need the next book immediately.
This book is not the carbon copy it’s being made out to be — it’s gripping, emotional, and incredibly well-crafted. Alex Aster deserves her flowers for the creativity, the storytelling, and the way she built this world and these characters.
If anything, this made me MORE excited for what’s coming next.
My experience with Starside by Alex Aster was the complete opposite — this was an EASY 6 star read for me.
First off, the plagiarism claims feel wildly exaggerated. Are there a couple moments where a scene reminds you of something else? Sure — I clocked maybe two instances where the situation felt familiar. But that’s not copy-paste, that’s tropes and genre overlap. There’s a huge difference between inspiration and imitation, and this book absolutely stays in its own lane.
What made this book stand out for me was how immersive it felt. The world-building? Genuinely so creative and vivid. The magic, the setting, the stakes — it all felt intentional and fresh, not recycled. And the character arcs?? You can literally feel the growth happening in real time.
And the enemies-to-lovers??? OBSESSED. This is what I want when I pick up that trope — tension, slow burn, actual emotional payoff. Not surface-level banter, but real conflict and chemistry.
Also I NEED to talk about that plot twist because WHAT??? I did NOT see it coming at all. Like jaw-on-the-floor, stare-at-the-wall-after-reading kind of twist.
And then Alex really just said “here’s your 15-page romance scene in the final stretch” just to emotionally destroy us and leave us hanging off THAT cliffhanger??? Criminal behavior. I need the next book immediately.
This book is not the carbon copy it’s being made out to be — it’s gripping, emotional, and incredibly well-crafted. Alex Aster deserves her flowers for the creativity, the storytelling, and the way she built this world and these characters.
If anything, this made me MORE excited for what’s coming next.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
First off, I just want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Alex Aster and Avon Books/HarperCollins for sending me an arc of this book!! I've been looking forward to the release of Starside since Alex announced it. It's my most anticipated release of this year, and let me tell y'all, it did NOT disappoint!
I know that when Alex first shared the synopsis for Starside, a lot of people were afraid it'd basically be Lightlark fanfiction. I can tell you with dead certainty that it is not.
Starside is such a unique story! It's been so long since I've read a quest-based fantasy, and now I'm in the mood to read more, although I know it won't cure my hangover from this book.
I loved the characters so much! The FMC, Aris, is definitely my favorite (she's honestly one of my favorite fictional characters ever), which surprises me since usually I end up loving a side character more. I also adore Harlan Raker (I blushed so many times while reading his dialogue haha) and can't wait to see how his relationship with Aris evolves throughout the series, especially considering the ending of Starside. I know Alex's books are always filled with insane twists towards the end, but I was not expecting THAT! Aris and Harlan Raker are going to be the best enemies-to-lovers duo ever, I'm calling it right now!
As for the plot, I ate it up!! A lot of parts, especially the beginning, reminded me of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire — you've got lethal challenges, a new Golden Trio, and an even more obnoxious version of Draco Malfoy + his gang of friends.
I was also reminded of Fourth Wing for a few reasons: 1. There's bonding between dragons and riders; 2. When Aris claims her sword, there's a complete flip in the power hierarchy, similar to when Violet bonded with Tairn and Andarna; and 3. NO ONE is safe, not even the main characters. Alex warned us that Starside is more brutal than Lightlark, and she isn't kidding! I was constantly on the edge of my seat any time Aris ran into trouble. (Side note: I think she and Violet would be best friends if they ever met haha).
So, if you love Goblet of Fire, Fourth Wing, Hunger Games, or Red Queen — or if you love enemies-to-lovers, dragons, revenge quests, feminine rage, and sword magic — you should pre-order Starside now!
Also, it's perfect if you're a fan of steamy, corset-ripping, saying "I hate you" while getting it on romance 🤭
All in all, I think Starside may be one of the best books I've ever read. I'm so excited to see how the rest of the series plays out!
I know that when Alex first shared the synopsis for Starside, a lot of people were afraid it'd basically be Lightlark fanfiction. I can tell you with dead certainty that it is not.
Starside is such a unique story! It's been so long since I've read a quest-based fantasy, and now I'm in the mood to read more, although I know it won't cure my hangover from this book.
I loved the characters so much! The FMC, Aris, is definitely my favorite (she's honestly one of my favorite fictional characters ever), which surprises me since usually I end up loving a side character more. I also adore Harlan Raker (I blushed so many times while reading his dialogue haha) and can't wait to see how his relationship with Aris evolves throughout the series, especially considering the ending of Starside. I know Alex's books are always filled with insane twists towards the end, but I was not expecting THAT! Aris and Harlan Raker are going to be the best enemies-to-lovers duo ever, I'm calling it right now!
As for the plot, I ate it up!! A lot of parts, especially the beginning, reminded me of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire — you've got lethal challenges, a new Golden Trio, and an even more obnoxious version of Draco Malfoy + his gang of friends.
I was also reminded of Fourth Wing for a few reasons: 1. There's bonding between dragons and riders; 2. When Aris claims her sword, there's a complete flip in the power hierarchy, similar to when Violet bonded with Tairn and Andarna; and 3. NO ONE is safe, not even the main characters. Alex warned us that Starside is more brutal than Lightlark, and she isn't kidding! I was constantly on the edge of my seat any time Aris ran into trouble. (Side note: I think she and Violet would be best friends if they ever met haha).
So, if you love Goblet of Fire, Fourth Wing, Hunger Games, or Red Queen — or if you love enemies-to-lovers, dragons, revenge quests, feminine rage, and sword magic — you should pre-order Starside now!
Also, it's perfect if you're a fan of steamy, corset-ripping, saying "I hate you" while getting it on romance 🤭
All in all, I think Starside may be one of the best books I've ever read. I'm so excited to see how the rest of the series plays out!
April 7, 2026
4⭐️ because i am a suckerrrrrr for TRUE enemies to lovers and these characters do in fact HATE each other so much so that by the end when they slightly become lovers i wasn’t so convinced…. lets chat!!
FIRST! raker is everything i need in a dark, broody mmc thank you very much! and this mans is STRUGGLING internally with so many thingssss
SECOND! i appreciate that we get an FMC who is not entirely useless but also does not just ~magically~ know how to defend herself and use a massive sword and is just immediately good at everything. i did get a little tired of her “well i just don’t care about my own life and i just need revenge” bit but i get the point
THIRD! the enemies to lovers portion… now hear me out. i LOVE a TRUE enemies to lovers like these characters do not like each other at all but a lot of it felt like they were just flinging “i hate you” back and forth (god forbid a girl wants the enemies to try and k*ll each other!!!!) raker saves her more than a handful of times and aris saves him once or twice so like we see that there’s a soft spot there but i wasn’t entirely sold on the shiff into lovers that seemed to happen very subtly but i get that it was important to the overall plot!
overall, i liked this well enough! it had the good romantasy vibes and the end was twisty and the cliff hanger was great and i will absolutely be reading the next one to see what happens
FIRST! raker is everything i need in a dark, broody mmc thank you very much! and this mans is STRUGGLING internally with so many thingssss
SECOND! i appreciate that we get an FMC who is not entirely useless but also does not just ~magically~ know how to defend herself and use a massive sword and is just immediately good at everything. i did get a little tired of her “well i just don’t care about my own life and i just need revenge” bit but i get the point
THIRD! the enemies to lovers portion… now hear me out. i LOVE a TRUE enemies to lovers like these characters do not like each other at all but a lot of it felt like they were just flinging “i hate you” back and forth (god forbid a girl wants the enemies to try and k*ll each other!!!!) raker saves her more than a handful of times and aris saves him once or twice so like we see that there’s a soft spot there but i wasn’t entirely sold on the shiff into lovers that seemed to happen very subtly but i get that it was important to the overall plot!
overall, i liked this well enough! it had the good romantasy vibes and the end was twisty and the cliff hanger was great and i will absolutely be reading the next one to see what happens
April 14, 2026
Ok hold up because what was that?
I heard the hype and I was sceptical...I was wrong, I could not get enough of it. I thought I would be able to sit down read 100 pages and go to sleep... that did not happen, I found myself consumed by the story and its characters so much so I found it impossible to put down.
I was not expecting this, I found the FMC relatable, funny and complex. Nothing was easy and the journey was worth it. I love a book that does training and trauma right, that understands that it is a long journey and not just one chapter. Every thing in this book stood out and I am mind blown by that ending. If anyone was next to me while I read the last 15%, they would have been fed up from me gasping every 5 seconds.
Stormside, i am ready for you!!!
I heard the hype and I was sceptical...I was wrong, I could not get enough of it. I thought I would be able to sit down read 100 pages and go to sleep... that did not happen, I found myself consumed by the story and its characters so much so I found it impossible to put down.
I was not expecting this, I found the FMC relatable, funny and complex. Nothing was easy and the journey was worth it. I love a book that does training and trauma right, that understands that it is a long journey and not just one chapter. Every thing in this book stood out and I am mind blown by that ending. If anyone was next to me while I read the last 15%, they would have been fed up from me gasping every 5 seconds.
Stormside, i am ready for you!!!
April 15, 2026
4.25⭐️ this is just a damn good time!!! Fast paced, lower brain power, super fun plot twists & action packed!
March 28, 2026
This book was so good! Written in first person - A Unique Magic system where power isn’t inherited it’s claimed! Swords have magic, a world split in two - immortals and humans!!! I was hooked from probably 30% in.
Aris our FMC is on a revenge quest, she is full of feminine rage with a lifetime of training and living in poverty has sharpened her into a weapon!
The trials were done well, I was not bored once, there is many Romantasy tropes thrown into this book but they were done so well it didn’t feel repetitive, you know what they say, if your going to do it… do it better!
The banter with the enemies to lovers is ELITE - they truly HATE each other for a majority of the book. The forced proximity - chefs kiss.
There is so much more to this world, it is so packed to the brim full of unique magical creatures and different powers and gods!
The world building was amazing and so vivid, the different lands throughout the world were all so unique and intriguing, I felt like I was there!
Thankyou to Bloomsbury for this ARC. I will treasure it forever.
Aris our FMC is on a revenge quest, she is full of feminine rage with a lifetime of training and living in poverty has sharpened her into a weapon!
The trials were done well, I was not bored once, there is many Romantasy tropes thrown into this book but they were done so well it didn’t feel repetitive, you know what they say, if your going to do it… do it better!
The banter with the enemies to lovers is ELITE - they truly HATE each other for a majority of the book. The forced proximity - chefs kiss.
There is so much more to this world, it is so packed to the brim full of unique magical creatures and different powers and gods!
The world building was amazing and so vivid, the different lands throughout the world were all so unique and intriguing, I felt like I was there!
Thankyou to Bloomsbury for this ARC. I will treasure it forever.
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