After her terrifying experience at the hands of the Watchers, Mina has escaped to a cottage on the west coast of Ireland. She obsessively researches her former captors, desperate to find any way to prolong the safety of humankind.
When Mina encounters a stranger near her home, she fears the worst – for she knows the figure is not what it seems. Soon, people she has encountered start to disappear.

I haven’t read the first book in this series which feels like a mistake. It is heavy going trying to piece together what’s happened before. I found it a struggle and spoiled what might have been a good read. It’s well written but I feel I have been left out of the story sadly.

Thank you Head of Zeus audiobooks, Netgalley and A.M Shine for the audio Arc of Stay In the Light.
Narrated by Jacqueline Milne

Having read " The Watchers" when it was released in 2021, I re listened to the audiobook before listening to Stay In the Light. Id recommend that these books need to be read in order as the 2nd book picks right up after the 1st. I loved the premise of these books and enjoy the character development and dynamics between our MC, Mina and others. We are introduced to a new character, Sean in this second book and I found him well developed.

The pacing of this book is similar to the 1st, medium paced overall, some slow burn atmospheric creepy places and some faced paced spikes. These different pacing adds to the overall, creepy, atmospheric feel to the narrative which leads into a page turner to be sure. It also gives the reader places to breathe after some tense scenes. I loved the entwining of Irish folklore/mythology of The Watchers, which is details more in this second book. It will leave you shuddering in places, looking over your shoulder, wondering who you can trust. If they are a watcher or not. I really do hope that this isn't the end and we have another book to make this a trilogy !

Jacqueline Milne narrated this book and I loved listening to her. Her voice matches the pacing of the book perfectly as does her naturally Irish lilt. Wonderful!

4.5 stars on Storygraph. 5 stars on Amazon, Goodreads , Netgalley

In this second book we catch up with Mina and ‘the yellow one’ shortly after the events of the first book,discovering that she has now moved to a new place by he sea after been warned by Madeline to move out of the city.

Whilst living on a farm in a building that the owners have converted for their daughter, Mina almost resembles the things that she escaped from.

Drinking herself into oblivion whilst attempting to find out more about the Watchers and get as much information about possible sightings throughout history, Mina lives almost the same as she did in the Coop.

In addition to this, we get the point of view of Seam Kilmartin, the son of Professor David Kilmartin who has discovered evidence of an archeological find in an area known as the Burren, which would prove his father’s theories and research.

Stay in The Light moves the story of Mina and The Watchers along brilliantly and expands on the world of Irish mythology that A. M. Shine created in the first book. He introduces other elements of Irish folklore, subverting it to create a mesmerising follow up.

The book does take some patience to find its stride, but once it does it flies by.

As usual, Shine writes with his beautiful prose, but it is his characters that are so wonderfully rounded. Mina, who still remains a shade of herself and has virtually imprisoned herself in her new home. Almost becoming a representation of the Watchers themselves as she lives in the house that the owners of the boarding house that we learn that she originally moved to, built for their daughter. We learn that she looks remarkably like the daughter and she seems to mimic her persona.

For the most part of the book, we spend most of the time with Mina as an observer as she quietly drinks to forget the events that occurred in The Watchers, occasionally visiting Ciara, but mostly staying cooped up in the house, which seems to be a self imposed isolation from the outside world.

However, it is not only the human characters that get to centre stage in this second book, but Shine also gives the golden conure a personality and makes the bird come alive rather than it being on the sidelines.

Whilst the horror is not as visceral as the first book, this one has quite moments of dread, At times, it almost has an Invasion of the Body Snatchers feel to the story, especially as the Watchers become more pronounced in the story and Mina has the same disbelief in her story that the main character in the iconic film experiences.

Shine closes the story on a climactic cliffhanger that has me wishing that I had that third book in my hands right now so I can discover what is going to happen.

Stay in the Light is an absorbing sequel to the first and now give me third book - pretty please.

A very worthy sequel to The watchers, which I read a few months ago. Stay in the light follows on from the watchers, so you should read that one first. Amazing writing, again. Thanks to NetGalley, A M Shine and publishers for the arc.

Stay in the Light serves as a compelling and well-crafted sequel that delivers a satisfying continuation of the story. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this book, and it successfully deepens the universe established in the first instalment.

Revisiting Mina was a treat, as her character remains engaging and relatable. However, I found that her points of view sometimes slowed the pacing, particularly in the first half of the novel. While I appreciated the insights into her thoughts and feelings, there were moments when the narrative seemed to drag, disrupting the otherwise thrilling momentum of the story.

On the other hand, I was eager to see more of Sean and his team's discoveries. The buildup surrounding their exploration and findings felt significant, but the resolution seemed to come too swiftly, leaving me wanting more depth and detail in their journey. Their side of the narrative had the potential for great tension and excitement, which I felt could have been expanded upon.

As always, A.M. Shine's writing style shines brightly throughout the novel. Several scenes kept me on the edge of my seat, showcasing the author's ability to create suspense and maintain reader engagement. The emotional weight and intensity of certain moments were palpable, drawing me further into the story.

The ending, in particular, left me breathless and craving more. It was a powerful conclusion that set the stage for future developments, and I am now left desperate for the next book. A.M. Shine has crafted a gripping world that I can't wait to return to, and I have high hopes for what lies ahead in this captivating series.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

Early preview via Netgalley. This was another tremendous book by A.M. Shine. If you enjoyed 'The Watchers' you will LOVE 'Stay in the Light'. This book develops on the first and also gives a bit more backstory to where the watchers came from. As always there are plenty of twists, turns and drama but with beautiful characterisations as you would expect from A.M Shine. It is a real edge of the seat listen. The book is beautifully narrated by Jacqueline Milne whose soft, clear, lilting Irish accent complements the story beautifully.

Firstly, I’d like to thank A.M. Shine, Head of Zeus and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of Stay in the Light in exchange for an honest review. Secondly, I’d like to apologise to A.M. Shine, Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the incoherent mess that is about to unfold.

I loved this book, I loved it like I loved The Watchers.

I’ll admit I was apprehensive going into this as so often horror books lose their scary edge once that initial climax has been reached and faded again in the first book. There’s no denying that the book does have a slow start but that isn’t without reason as we start to unpack just how the events of book one have impacted the lives of Mina and Ciara. If you find the start a bit slow for your tastes I would implore you to persevere, it’s around the 25% mark that things start to ramp up, and boy do they ramp up.

A.M. Shine has developed the perfect concoction of horror for me, it has all the insurmountable terror of superhuman killing machines, the horror comes at you in waves so as to never lose its potency and it has my favourite horror device of all time, uncanny valley. The most difficult scene of the entire book for me to read alone plays heavily on this as Mina is first reunited with The Watchers in deeply unsettling fashion.

Initial pacing issues aside this book does not miss a beat as you’re dragged from chapter to chapter. I found myself unable to put this book down at times and too scared to pick it up at others.

There isn’t too much to be said for the characters other than it’s more of that same old recipe we know and love from The Watchers, Mina and Madeline are back like they never left, along with some new faces in an interesting new multi POV approach.

This book has everything I’d ever want from a horror novel. It’s gripping, it’s tense, it’s unsettling, it has an absolute moron doing all the things that we know he shouldn’t do but he doesn’t know not to do, it has a monster eating a croissant, it has seagulls referred to as white feathered hooligans (honestly this book is actually quite humorous in dispatches) and most importantly it has a set up for a third book.

I’m excited to see what comes of this terrifying world of Irish folklore A.M Shine is developing and I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Stay In The Light is the sequel to The Watchers which I read about 18 months ago. The story returns to our main character Mina, who’s escaped the terrifying cabin in the woods where her and her companions were terrorised nightly by unseen creatures. Mina is now trying to keep a low profile after realising that the creatures are changelings and that they are not confined to the woods… Should she try to tell the world of the threat, or would they condemn her as crazy?

This book delves much more into Irish folklore and myth. I found this one a lot tenser and more unsettling than the first, mostly because it’s set in the ‘real world’ rather than just a forest. It was quite spooky and in parts I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to turn the light off when it was bedtime. There’s some real nail biting moments and the story plays a lot on your basic human fears; cold, dark, confined spaces.

Highly recommend getting your hands on this early! It’s due out 10.10.2024!

This is not like the first book. I can't really explain what happened in the first 59% of this book. Everytime I put the book down and picked it back up I kept forgetting who everyone was and what had happened. At about 60% I became a bit more engaged. I started to understand that Sean and his team found some Chambers and were trying to find out what was down there and what the Chambers had been used for. Then Mina knew about the Fairy's but no-one believed her and thought she was insane.

I think with the first book I found it very atmospheric and I read it whilst being in a forest and I found it really creepy. This book was flat and boring and there was no atmospherics and just boring. Even the "scary" scenes nothing for me. It felt like the writing regressed for me. Not a fan.

'Stay in the Light' was a truly solid sequel to 'The Watchers'!

Whilst it the horror element wasn't quite as strong as in the first book & Mina's chapters (despite being a brilliant character) dragged a bit, the storyline was well thought out & executed. & those last few chapters...! They were explosive & tied everything together very nicely, so now I can't wait to see if there'll be a third instalment (here's to hoping!).

Overall, I'm giving this book 4.5 stars out of 5 (rounded up) as A.M. Shine has written a gripping & unnerving sequel that is almost(!) as good as it's predecessor & that is pretty impressive in my eyes!

Thank you to NetGalley, A.M. Shine & Head of Zeus for allowing me to read & review the ARC of 'Stay in the Light'; all views are honest & my own.

In Stay in the Light, A.M. Shine crafts a haunting and atmospheric sequel that shifts from the raw terror of The Watchers to a more atmospheric, uneasy horror. Mina, still scarred by her previous encounters, is desperate to uncover the truth behind the Watchers while battling her own doubts and those of the people around her. While this book doesn't quite match the intensity of the first, it offers an intriguing exploration of the mysterious lore surrounding the Watchers. and still captivates with its eerie tension.

Though the new characters don't quite match the depth of those from the first book, they are engaging enough to help carry the story forward, and the creeping sense of dread keeps you engaged. The book shines in its rich and intriguing lore, leaving readers eager to see how it all unfolds in the next chapter. A solid follow-up that fans of the first book will appreciate.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/A few months after the events of The Watchers, Mina is hiding in a secluded cottage on the west coast of Ireland. Meanwhile, Sean Kilmartin, the son of the original Kilmartin, embarks on an expedition to prove his father's theories. The narrative unfolds in parallel, with the first half focusing on Mina’s emotional breakdown, while Sean’s story gradually builds tension and mystery. It’s around the 50% mark that the pace intensifies.

I appreciated this approach to the sequel as it fleshes out the story allowing the reader to take a breath from the first one. It enables readers to explore Mina’s recovery after the traumatic events of the first book, while also letting the author steadily increase the excitement through Sean’s storyline. This dual narrative also weaves in new layers of mythology, enhancing the story.

Overall, this is an excellent sequel to The Watchers and a strong middle book in what I expect will be a trilogy.show/6850772562

Mainly enjoyable. This one has less horror than the first. I wanted to know more about Mina. I feel her character still needs development.

The sequel to The Watchers although I haven't read the first book it didn't spoil my read of this book ( though I'd recommend reading it first ). Ciara hiding from the watchers who are shapeshifters and they can disguise themselves as real people. Creepy and full of tension this well written book is worth the read, I can't recommend it highly enough. Thanks to Head of Zeus and Netgalley for this review ARC

This was a great sequel but one that I did not expect. I hope this is also made into a movie. It was great to be back however I wished for more of the horror element of book one.

I loved being back in the world of the Watchers!

I had so many questions on how life would continue for Mina and Caira, and what Madeline would do, after escaping the coop. A M Shine portrays grief, pain, and the struggle to readjust following a traumatic experience so well; the feelings of the characters are palpable.

I wasn't expecting to go back to the Kilmartin family but was pleasantly surprised. I think this added to the story.

This is such an amazing companion to The Watchers and very much needed to answer the questions the readers may have after book 1.

High praise for A M Shine.

A very solid sequel which overall I absolutely loved, however I personally found even though I really enjoyed getting to see Mina again that her POV's really made the book drag in certain parts, especially the first half. And I would have really liked to have seen a bit more of Sean and his teams discoveries as it felt like there was a lot of build up just for it to be over quite quickly.

As always I absolutely loved A.M. Shine's writing style, with certain scenes having me on the edge of my seat and that ending has me literally DESPERATE for another book!

Stay in the Light - A.M.Shine
4.5 🌟

The first 60% of this book gave me the same vibes as season 4 of Lost, when the cast finally get off the island and things feel so different that it's almost not even the same show - BUT is somehow still fantastic. It's quite interesting. That first 60% didn't feel like a horror novel, more of a crime thriller. But the final 40%? One of the best examples of horror I've ever read. In fact, chapter 19 left me feeling a state of dread I've never felt before. And at one point during chapter 20, a dog barked outside and I physically jumped.

I can't say much about characters without spoilers but one thing that absolutely kept up from book 1 was Shine's ability to describe a space, every single scene in this book was so clear in my mind. Which made it all the more unnerving.

If I were to nitpick, I really enjoyed the primary setting of book 1. In fact, the woods was almost a character in its own right, an integral one too. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't missed in book 2.

A must read for fans of The Watchers, clearly Shine intends this to be a trilogy as Stay In The Light is essentially a set up for a final showdown, one I greatly look forward to given my love for the first book.

Whilst I enjoyed the second it does somewhat suffer from a common problem, following the reveal of book one whilst setting the scene for a third left this installment feeling like filler.

Dr Kilmartin had a son! Who knew. A carbon copy of his father, here he is reliving those mistakes with an obsessive search for evidence of changelings, the only difference being Sean isn't working alone.
The Kilmartin theories are revisited but unchanged as a new location is unearthed with fresh surprises in store. Sean isn't likeable, in fact none of his team are, thankfully we still have Mina.

I hope for some development for Mina in the future. Stay In The Light shows us how she has survived since escaping the woodland, as bleak as her life beforehand. Living by the rules in a spiralling paranoia just waiting for the day the watchers reappear.

The watchers were the highlights of the novel, their scenes as terrifying and brutal as ever. These are the creatures I return for.

The drawing together of established characters and rise of a new bigger and stronger threat to the beautiful if dreary Irish setting has me looking forward to the final part, hopefully with a faster pace and more action.

I actually preferred this sequel to the first book, I felt the pacing was better, there was a much better building of tension, and now that the characters are referring to the bird as “the yellow one” as though it’s his name, and it’s not just the author referring to him as that randomly, I find it much less cringy.

I love the incorporation of Irish folklore, the creatures are creepy as hell, and the prose is often quite pretty and somewhat introspective, but the ending felt like a bit of a cop out so that AM Shine can turn this into a trilogy and milk it for all it’s worth. I’ll probably still read the third book but I think it could have been wrapped up pretty nicely in this one if it was slightly longer.

Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the ARC!