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"I'm wearing an Eras Tour hoodie as we speak," best-selling author Alex Aster tells Teen Vogue on our phone call. She's back in New York City after traveling all the way to Miami, Florida, to watch Taylor Swift live in concert. It's an experience she describes as both magical and emotional, especially since the singer's album reputation was a major source of inspiration for her best-selling fantasy series Lightlark.
Ahead of the release of Skyshade, the highly anticipated third installment of Aster's vivid romantasy series, the Booktok star says being able to write this many books about her main character's story has been amazing.
"When I posted that first video, and in the year and a half before Lightlark was even published, I was just grateful to have a young adult series at all," she says. "To now have a third book out is truly beyond any of my wildest dreams, and I'm really excited. I think readers will be surprised to see how Isla's story unfolds."
Teasing the divisive love triangle between Grim and Oro, Isla's two steamy love interests, Aster says that even if fans don't switch teams, they'll hopefully come to understand why the main character is in love with both of them. "There are definitely a few scenes in this book that I think Team Grim or Team Oro will really appreciate," she laughs. "I'm excited to see the reader's reactions."
Despite playing tug-of-war with our hearts, Aster says the latest book can be described in three words: Reputation, betrayal, and passion. Below, Aster gives us an exclusive excerpt from her latest book, which is set to release on November 12, and teases that she has some *very* exciting news to be revealed soon. Fingers crossed it's a cast reveal for the Lightlark film adaptation, but we'll take another 10 books as well...
Spoilers for Skyshade ahead.
She and all of Nightshade wouldn't survive the storm season, unless she could find the portal. Unless she could extend her life long enough to change her fate.
Part of her felt rage. Her life had barely been her own. Since she was a child, she had trained for the Centennial. Then, she found herself the ruler of two realms. Now, she was practically a walking corpse, her life tied to another, on borrowed time.