So fun! Finley is 27, works in a coffee shop, and can see demons and fae that are hidden underneath normal visage. She meets Carrick, who is super mysterious, and knows that she can see things. He’s a total curmudgeon, but lovable! Finley is a great MC, knowing mixed martial arts and quite smart. No romance, but there may be the start of a very slow burn. This ends on a cliffhanger and I cannot wait for the second book. Excellent narration. Thank you @netgalley for the chance to review this book.

The Revelation Of Light and Dark (Chronicles Of The Stone Veil book 1) by Sawyer Bennett. Narrated by Lucy Rivers and Auden Snow.

I love author Sawyer Bennett. I first found her with her Arizona Vengeance series, then I started listening to all her other books as well and I always enjoy her work just as I enjoyed this one. I liked the concept of this book and the story as well. It grabbed me from the start and I kept listening all the way through.
I loved the narration, The narrators really brought the story to life. Lucy Rivers and Aiden Snow are two of the best and I have enjoyed many of their books so I was happy to find out they had done this book. Great narrators can elevate a story and make it so enjoyable as done here. I highly recommend.

I included the blurb below to explain what this story is about for my book groups and pages.

Blurb:
I always knew I was different.

From a young age, my mind has been plagued with things only I could see. Some hauntingly beautiful, others completely terrifying. Never knowing if these visions were real or just hallucinations, I learned how to lock them down and ignore them. I learned to take solace in the relative anonymity of city life and find peace in the rainy days my city of Seattle is known for.

But just when I think my life is getting on track and my dreams are achievable, a moment of weakness causes me to learn a hard and fast lesson.

My entire existence has been a lie.

Now I’m faced with a new reality that’s as implausible as it is fantastical. Filled with realms and veils, light and dark, fae and daemons, gods and angels—things I don’t understand but am forced to acknowledge. It doesn’t help that the man teaching me about my unique gifts is the gorgeously handsome Carrick Byrne, one of Seattle’s richest and most powerful men. He intimidates, annoys, and intrigues me all at the same time. I don’t trust him and yet there’s no one else to help me.

No longer certain who to put my faith in, what to believe, or how I fit into it all, one revelation is clear…

The world as I know it will never be the same again.

The Revelation of Light and Dark is book one of the Chronicles of the Stone Veil series and is best enjoyed if read in series order.

It has been a while since I have enjoyed a paranormal book so at first I was reluctant but when I found out who the author was there was no way I could turn it down and let me tell you I am SO HAPPY I JUMPED IN! This one started out with a lot of scene setting and character molding but it is a series so has to be established but once it got to going I couldn't put it down. Findley always knew she was different and had these feelings about certain people she couldn't pin point and figured she might be a little crazy. It took a man who she really didn't like to open her eyes to what she was really seeing. There are otherworldly beings roaming Seattle and Findley may be the answer to saving the world...

CLIFFHANGER! Geez! At least the next one comes out quickly and the next and the next!

So HAPPY this came out in audio! I truly hope the rest of the series is quick to follow!!!!! Loved the narrators!

**Received this ARC to review in audio from the publisher/author via NetGalley**

The Revelation of Light and Dark

The Revelation of Light and Dark is the first book in the series Chronicles of the Stone Veil and now has its own audiobook by RB media, who were very kind to gift me this ALC via @netgalley.


This book tells the story of Finley, a girl who has suffered all her life from hallucinations and is the twin sister of a successful art dealer. Finley on the contrary works in a cafe but soon is presented with the opportunity to buy the business… but she needs much more money than she’ll ever be able to get on her own. Her sister helps her with a bit but Finley will require an investor. And that investor will change her life forever.

This book has greatly surpassed my expectations despite not much being revealed within the first book. It creates an excellent base to carry on with the series and there is good character development and a terrific plot twist that I never saw coming.
There is also a tiny hint of romance which I absolutely love.

When it comes to the narration of this audiobook, it is 5 out of 5. We have a dual point of view in this audiobook, and equally, we have two great narrators to match Finley's and Garrik's personalities which makes the whole experience more enjoyable.

Thank you @netgalley and @recordedbooks for this ARC/ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted copy (audiobook) for review…all opinions are my own.

This was an interesting slow read…took a while to get into it.  The storyline was good but I got lost in the details.  Literally, I was lost in ALL the details that had nothing to with the plot (ex: Space Needle facts, furniture placement).  The main female character (Finley) works at a coffee shop called One Bean (the name is regularly repeated) and discovers she is gifted…but we get caught in her inner monologues.  At around 20%, the monologues grew more annoying along with Finley’s horrible listening skills.  I believe some of her comments were meant to serve as comic relief…but it fell short.  We get the POV of the main male character (Carrick), which provided more context of the storyline but sadly, it was not enough.   I build a false impression that there would be romantic relationship between Carrick and Finley.  However, their banter was highly questionable and there was no spice at all…maybe this and Carrick’s character development will appear in the other books of this series.

Had this not been an audiobook, I’d have skimmed the pages and possibly mark it DNF.  BUT, it is worth a listen and maybe I’m too picky.  Will I read the second book, yes (especially since it is available)…but I may wait for a possible audio version for my sanity to finish the book.

Lucy Rivers is one of my favorite narrators and did not disappoint with this audio! The Revelation of Light and Dark is book 1 of Chronicles of the Stone Veil series. The mythology behind the supernatural in this world is intricate and makes you question
how much of our world we really see. If you’re looking for romance (or answers for the 1000 questions you will have) I would not recommend. It seems like it’s going to be slow burn like REAL slow. Over 4/5 I’m definitely continue reading it.

Quick Summary: A mysterious tale of good vs evil

My Review: The Revelation of Light and Dark by Sawyer Bennett is book one in the Chronicles of the Snow Veil series.

About the Characters:

Finley ->

Finley is nothing if not resourceful. She has learned through experience what works for her and what does not. She knows that jeans, comfy shoes, good friends, mixed martial arts, and her beloved coffee shop are her jams. Art shows, posh gatherings, snooty socialites, and privileged jerks are not. No matter what her twin sister says or does, they will always be at odds, where all of that nonsense is concerned.

When her sister unexpectedly introduces her to a tall, dark, arrogant stranger at an art show, she cannot understand why he immediately looks at her with such disdain. He was exactly why she steered clear of these types of events. Despite his dislike of her, she is drawn to him. Why do their paths keep crossing? What is he not telling her?

Carrick ->

Living in the human world indefinitely is not where Carrick envisioned himself, especially after all of this time. Something had to give. Unfortunately, his hand is being forced. He now has to help the strange human woman that irritates him to no end. Even as she drives him beyond his limits, he knows there is something more to her. She is tied to him in some way, and before he can rid himself of her, he has to figure out who and what she is. What is her significance to his destiny? Who is she really?

About the Conflict:

The conflict in this book was almost non existent. There were a few glimpses into the darkness that is positioned between the human and para realms. Bits of information were exposed to show that a good versus evil battle is setting itself up for the near future. It will begin to manifest itself on Finely's twenty-eighth birthday, from what I could gather.

The Cliffhanger: Where book one ends is right where readers need to be. Not only does Finley experience a big change, but so does...

My Final Say:

This book was largely focused on setting up a foundation for the human, fae, demon, and otherworldly beings. Because it was more of an introduction, it offered a lot of descriptions related to character builds, clothing, architecture, etc. It was in the last quarter of the book that the story began to find its rhythm.

I would be open to reading book two. The story was interesting enough to warrant a second look.

Rating: 3.75/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: 💬
Audiobook: Yes

Many thanks and much appreciation go to the author, to the publisher, and to NetGalley, who provided access to a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are my own.

*A Goodreads review has been posted.