Nightbane by Alex Aster

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

First off, let me make one thing clear. This review is in no way promoting my own book.

Let me be clear. This is not a hate review. I gave Lightlark a 2.5 and walked away frustrated. I picked up Nightbane hoping for improvement, and to Alex Aster’s credit, there is some. The writing is more confident. The pacing tries to hold tension longer. Isla finally feels like she is trying to be more than a passive figure wrapped in destiny. But even with all of that, this book still left me feeling confused, detached, and more than once, rereading paragraphs just to figure out how we got from point A to point B.

It’s like tunnel vision. I know I am technically reading. But I was not really processing. More than once, I had to flip back a few pages just to understand where we were and how we got there. Scenes blend together, not because the prose is seamless, but because the transitions are jarring. Emotional shifts happen mid-sentence. Important reveals drop without weight. It's readable, but not immersive. Fast, but foggy.

Narrative clarity is still an issue. Emotional transitions are abrupt. Character motivations shift mid-scene. Big reveals land flat because they are not supported by steady buildup. Flashbacks interrupt flow rather than deepen understanding. There is so much content, but not enough control. It does not feel like a book that trusts the reader to follow. It feels like a book trying to stay one step ahead of its own plot holes.

It reminds me of any science book ever in my years of higher education. Where the authors just expect you to know something from eight chapters later. Or expects you to remember something we touched on once, three years ago, for two minutes. As if I am some human computer with unlimited storage. Sorry, Professor, if it was not important enough for you to actually give it basis, I definitely deleted it from memory once break hit.

Isla is more decisive here. She questions things. She moves the story forward instead of being dragged behind it. But she is still not sharp. Her development is surface-level. One moment she is calculating. The next she is trusting someone who just betrayed her. Her emotions read like they are reacting to the scene, not rooted in any consistent arc. Yes, she grows, but that growth never transforms her. It never feels earned. We see her past, but it does not shape her future in a meaningful way.

Again, this character confused me. Either you want to be a calculating, and mysterious, or whatever you are trying for. Or you're not. I'm pretty sure there is a GIF that says "daytime, nighttime" and that's all I could think about sometimes. See GIF attached. That was my brain. Almost 90% of the interactions I read.

The romance remains the weakest part of the story. It is louder now, more dramatic, more prominent. But it still feels hollow. There is no real intimacy, no emotional layering, just recycled declarations and convenient passion. The love triangle is back, and instead of evolving, it loops. Hurt, betrayal, yearning, and then reset. I do not mind complicated relationships. I am literally in one.

Hello, polygamy. How are you?

I'm great, thanks. I think we need to have a serious talk about the dynamics of complex relationships though.

What do you mean?

If authors want to write about polygamy/polyamorous dynamics and are not in said relationship, there is no shame in reaching out to someone who is. Ask the questions. Research. There are plenty of authors who write BDSM but are not a part of the community. Therefore they reach out to those who are for answers to questions. Trust me, those of us who are in a situation where it is against society norms, most likely would love to be represented. I, for one, have no qualms about answering questions on my own complex relationship.

Complexity needs structure. There has to be consequence. Here, the triangle feels like it exists because the plot says it has to, not because the characters truly pull each other in meaningful ways.

The world-building expands in this book. There is more history, more politics, and more of the cursed realms. The lore is thicker, the stakes broader. But clarity is sacrificed for scale. Magical systems are introduced and dropped. Rules bend to fit the moment. Character allegiances shift with little explanation. I wanted to dive deeper into this world, but the deeper I went, the more confused I became. When everything is mysterious, nothing is grounded. I should not need a notebook just to track who is betraying who and why.

Seriously, when I graduated from university, I threw all my notes away. The only notes I want to take are what my partners do and do not like. Their restaurant orders, their skincare/haircare products, my vacation plans, new languages I want to learn and my dogs ridiculous veterinary care. Anything else? If I need to take notes, it will sit on my shelf like a pretty ornament.

This book feels like it is trying to do everything. Romance. Power struggles. Flashback reveals. Ancient secrets. Shifting timelines. Political alliances. Emotional trauma. But when everything is turned up to ten, nothing lands with impact. There is effort here. There is progress. But effort is not the same as execution.

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Questions and Answers

Would I recommend it?

If you liked Lightlark and want to see where the story goes, this is a better book. It tries harder. It shows growth. But if you are looking for emotional payoff, narrative clarity, or romantic tension that actually works, you might still walk away feeling underwhelmed.

What improved?

The pacing is stronger. The writing flows better. Isla starts to make more choices and act with more confidence. The lore is expanded, and the book feels like it is aiming higher than before.

What still fell short?

Emotional depth, again. Logical consistency. Character arcs that make sense. The romance still feels performative. The plot still moves in leaps instead of steady beats.

How did it make me feel?

Confused. Disconnected. Occasionally impressed. Occasionally frustrated. Mostly like I was reading with the lights on but nothing in focus.

What would I change?

Slow it down. Let the moments breathe. Let characters earn their growth. Strip away the aesthetics and build the emotional core. Make the betrayals hurt. Make the love matter.

Final Thoughts

Nightbane is an improvement. But it is not a breakthrough. It still reads like a story trying to be clever rather than true. The bones are good. The world could be incredible. But clarity, connection, and consequence are what give a story its teeth. This one still has glitter. It just needs grit.