Stay in the Light

A sequel that doesn’t disappoint!

We pick up after the events of The Watchers with Ciara living a life of pretence, Mina hiding away in fear, and Madeline hovering doing we aren’t sure what.
Meanwhile it transpires Kilmartin had a son- Sean- who shares the same obsession of Changelings as his father, and is beginning the excavation of a tunnel that goes a long long way down.

A thrilling read, which sets up for a third book. This makes me very happy!

A great continuation from The Watchers. Was a little slow to start with, but the tension definitely ramped up towards the end - I even jumped when there was a random noise in the house whilst reading!

I don't know for definite if there is a 3rd book, but I feel it has been set up for a trilogy. Can't wait to find out how the story wraps up!

I adored The Watchers and this is the perfect sequel.

Picking up where The Watchers left off (so you really do have to have read it first), it's a fast-paced, totally engrossing continuation of Mina's story. New characters are introduced that build out this world that A.M. Shine is creating and the mythology and origin of the changelings is further fleshed out (no pun intended!).

Everything that I loved about The Watchers is back - that exquisite intermingling of ancient Irish folklore in a modern day setting, fascinating characters that you just want to know more about, and that sense of horror that comes more from the unseen and the implied rather than from graphic, gory description. I devoured it in a single day and now just really want to know what happens next! I do so hope book 3 is in the planning already.

After being slightly disappointed by The Creeper, this is just story-telling perfection and I loved it.

I was very excited by this sequel to The Watchers and it did not disappoint! We once again join Mina, Madeleine and the others and I won’t say anything else as I don’t want to give anything away! The writing is beautiful and flows, and it’s a real page turner. Fingers crossed there’ll be a third book!

Thank you so much to the publisher for accepting my request to read this novel. I've been waiting for this novel since reading The Watchers.

A.M. Shine has done it again! Another perfect novel that had me gripped from the first page.

I don't read horror novels normally as I scare myself (I've got a great imagination) but A.M Shine is the exception. I will always read novels by him because they are amazing.

Stay in the Light follows on from The Watchers we are back with Mina, coping with the aftermath of escaping The Watchers.
I absolutely loved this novel it's perfect as I imagined it would be.

I was a huge fan of The Watchers when I read it a couple of years ago. At that time I’d thought I was numb to book based scares, but it was one of those rare books that held me quivering in its cold hand throughout, relentlessly squeezing tighter and tighter until finally releasing me spent and breathless.

Stay In The Light is the sequel to that book and finds us in the not too distant future. Mena is still with us, as is The Yellow One – both holed up in the middle of nowhere wrestling very different demons to cope. An unsteady peace doesn’t last long as it becomes clear that things are far from over with the Watchers, as their power, and their hubris grows.

Meanwhile, an excavation is afoot opening up tombs that should very much remain sealed. What is in those tombs is something that the son of the originally reckless scientist suspects; and when he is proven correct, all hell has been unleashed.

Where AM Shine excels is in building the fear and trepidation. No fast delivery of jump scares or early pay offs. We are toyed with and teased, with tension building and building to a screaming frenzy of drama and literal ground shaking mayhem.

Intelligent, thoughtful, imaginative and unique in its subject matter and delivery – Stay in the Light is a perfect sequel to The Watchers. And do I smell a trilogy or is that just the changelings turning into a facsimile of myself that smells it?

Fantastic book. Thank you for allowing me an ARC to read.

I absolutely loved "The Watchers," so when I had the chance to read this advance reader copy (ARC), I was beyond excited. I have to admit that the book started off a bit slow, but as the story unfolded, the pace picked up and had me completely engrossed. Mina, Ciara, and Madelein were wonderful characters, and I found myself really connecting with them. The introduction of new characters added even more depth to the story, making it a truly captivating read for me. I want to extend a huge thank you to Aria & Aries for granting me access to this ARC. It was a brilliantly eerie and atmospheric read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

This book was scary, thrilling, on the edge of your seat and heart in your mouth kind of stuff. I was shouting at Mina’s sister at one point. I also suspected every single person in the book of not being who they said they were - how Mina didn’t have a breakdown I’ll never know. I really enjoyed it and the ending paves way for a third book perfectly…. What will happen next ? I for one cannot wait to know!!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

After how much I loved The Watchers I went into Stay in the Light with high hopes and boy did it deliver!

The story picked up right where the first book ended and didnt skip a beat throughout. I love books with different POVs as it can cover more of the story at once and seeing both sides of this one unfold had me on edge waiting for the big bang!
After a rocky start with The Creepers (I feel that was more on me than the book) I am truly in love with A.M Shines writing style and now feel the need to dive head first into folklore research haha

I really hope there will be a third in this series! I need more now, please and thank you!

A perfect follow up to the best folk horror tale in years.

"Stay in the Light" opens some months after the events of "The Watchers". Mina has moved to a cottage on the secluded west coast of Ireland, hiding and drinking , while all the time watching for signs of her pursuers. Ciara is living her own life, apparently normally, while Madeleine has yet to reappear. Kilmartin's son, Sean, himself an archaeologist, is following in his father's footsteps, trying hard to prove the existence of the Watchers.

Once again, the author has dived deep into Irish folklore and produced a dark and truly scary tale of monsters and devils. There's little in the way of gore, just more of the unseen terror that made "Watchers" such a gripping tale. How their experiences in the coop have affected the characters, and how they deal with that, are profound, And as it becomes clear that the Watchers aren't done with them, or our world, Mina's attempts to convince people of their existence is filled with frustration and a growing fear for her life.

Fans of the first book will love this sequel - the story arc moves forward at a pace, and as we learn more of Kilmartin and Madeleine's past and how certain events have led us to where we are, a true feeling of horror descents on the reader. Oh, and the end is definitely worth waiting for...

Heartily recommended.

"Stay in the Light" delivers exactly what it promises: the sequel to the brilliant and absolutely original "The Watchers". So it's not at all a standalone; a rather good grasp of the first book is necessary, since it picks up pretty much exactly where "The Watchers" left off.

I was excited to read the second volume, having adored the first one. Though the book does not disappoint, it has to be admitted that it's an entirely different kind of animal: it's neither as atmospheric nor as suspenseful as the "Watchers," and the much larger cast sets its own pacing - reminiscent of a thriller rather than a horror book.

That said, "Stay in the Light" not only answers almost all the questions raised by the first volume, it also expands on the mythology and the lore, adding an unexpected dimension to the original story. Mina (and The Yellow One!) remains the main protagonist, but a surprise figure, Sean, takes his place alongside (as a second voice in the narrative - he and Mina never meet), providing a much needed breath of fresh air to the dangling plotlines. Madeleine also gets her share of the spotlight; to be fair, however, she's lost her eerieness and the uncanny allure she had in the first book. The author has chosen to stress her weaknesses rather than her strengths. Ciara stays mostly in the background, though she has a brief but fascinating and unexpected role to play in the story.

Overall, the book has all the features one expects from the middle book of a trilogy (yep, there'll be a third book!): it takes a bit for the action to heat up, and it ends in a cliffhanger. But the ending is (literally) explosive and I doubt anyone would have ever expected such a turn of events! The third book is gonna be huge!

Omg! The constant sense of unease running through this book was insane! What, at first, seemed like nothing was happening.. was really just building the blocks of terror!

Fantastic read, and always leaves me wanting more.

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