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In the Garden of Light and Shadow: The Chronicles of Ada St. James
Light and Shadow Blurb:
4000 years ago, a rebellion in the Ever brought angels to live among us.
At first, they were worshiped as gods.
But that was not enough.
And in their hunger for power,
Evil claimed their hearts
and made them demons.
Lilavois St. James rose to fight them.
As a member of the Sisters of Light, she swore an oath to use the magic of the moon to battle the demons and defend humankind.
Until one day, she met a demon and fell in love.
And I was born.
My name is Ada St. James, and these are the chronicles of how I came to be and the destiny of power and redemption that awaits me.
4000 years ago, a rebellion in the Ever brought angels to live among us.
At first, they were worshiped as gods.
But that was not enough.
And in their hunger for power,
Evil claimed their hearts
and made them demons.
Lilavois St. James rose to fight them.
As a member of the Sisters of Light, she swore an oath to use the magic of the moon to battle the demons and defend humankind.
Until one day, she met a demon and fell in love.
And I was born.
My name is Ada St. James, and these are the chronicles of how I came to be and the destiny of power and redemption that awaits me.
328 pages, Paperback
Published October 15, 2024
62 people want to read
About the author
Cerece Rennie Murphy
20 books379 followersMy name is Cerece Rennie Murphy, but, among my 5 siblings, I am known and teased by my superhero name, Wonder Worry, (and yes, I am a little worried about your reaction to what I just said). While in my youth, I used my superpower to whip minor setbacks into epic tragedies in 60 seconds flat, I no longer have the time to hone the skills I once possessed, which were handed down to me VERY CAREFULLY by my mother and her mother before.
Instead of spending my days imagining worst case scenarios, I am now on the front lines of true disaster prevention – treading the fine line between boo-boos and permanent brain damage, fighting crimes of curiosity, omission, absent-mindedness and sleep deprivation. I carry others down the winding, bumpy road of youth that starts out at the nexus of unique and brilliant but intersects with narcissistic serial killer at some distant point I hope fervently to avoid. As you might have guessed, I am a wife and mother of 2 small children. Luckily, my family lights up the sky so I never stumble too hard or lose my way.
I would lament the luxury of needless worry, but alas, I don’t have the energy. As I write this, I am losing a battle fought between my trusty sponge and a hardened glob of half-eaten cheese that traveled from the kitchen to the living room rug in the palm of a very small, but mischievous hand. Its stronghold on the fibers suggests occupancy of at least 2 days, but I’ll never know for sure. Rather than despair, I’ve chosen to retreat to my keyboard, noting that I have won the war - most of the rug is un-cheesed.
Before I worried. Now, I write.
I look forward to slowly, quietly, in my own shy way, becoming a part of this community. If you would like to get to know me and my work a bit better, you can visit my website at www.cerecerenniemurphy.com
Instead of spending my days imagining worst case scenarios, I am now on the front lines of true disaster prevention – treading the fine line between boo-boos and permanent brain damage, fighting crimes of curiosity, omission, absent-mindedness and sleep deprivation. I carry others down the winding, bumpy road of youth that starts out at the nexus of unique and brilliant but intersects with narcissistic serial killer at some distant point I hope fervently to avoid. As you might have guessed, I am a wife and mother of 2 small children. Luckily, my family lights up the sky so I never stumble too hard or lose my way.
I would lament the luxury of needless worry, but alas, I don’t have the energy. As I write this, I am losing a battle fought between my trusty sponge and a hardened glob of half-eaten cheese that traveled from the kitchen to the living room rug in the palm of a very small, but mischievous hand. Its stronghold on the fibers suggests occupancy of at least 2 days, but I’ll never know for sure. Rather than despair, I’ve chosen to retreat to my keyboard, noting that I have won the war - most of the rug is un-cheesed.
Before I worried. Now, I write.
I look forward to slowly, quietly, in my own shy way, becoming a part of this community. If you would like to get to know me and my work a bit better, you can visit my website at www.cerecerenniemurphy.com
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 19, 2025
I was entranced the second I first laid eyes on this book - one of the most beautiful presentations I've ever seen (cover jacket, black-on-black art under the jacket, font, artwork - brilliant design-work all around). And then, I was immediately drawn into this fantasy love story/thriller/family drama from page one (I read an early version of this and loved it - THIS is even better). We enter the tale with the soon-to-intersect storylines of reluctant demon RaZiel and nun-apprentice Lilavois (I think Cerece might have the best names in all of fantasy). Lilavois, a spirited young woman who has lost loved ones to demon attack, is studying herbal magic and magical combat with the Sisters of the Light (demon-slaying nuns). When RaZiel and Lilavois meet, sparks fly and this moon-crossed couple court the wrath of two powerful fighting forces intent on slaying each other. I won't say more for fear of divulging spoilers, but this story deftly spans years, bringing us, ultimately, to the story of Ada St. James (who is featured in the series' title). A gorgeously crafted story rich with magical details, touching romance, a nature-loving sensibility (which I particularly love about Cerece's writing), an airship (!!!), and characters you grow to love and root for. Which makes the intense twists and turns as forces close in on each other all the more harrowing. Enthusiastically recommended - can't wait to read the sequel (and see if Cerece's cover/book art team can dare to top their work on this fantasy novel). #TeamAda
October 14, 2024
4.5⭐️
i could not put this down! for a book that’s less than 350 pages, no punches were pulled and there was never a single moment that felt lagging or muddled. it’s such a good feeling to be reading something you can just feel is intentional!
the story is extremely unique but if i had to compare it to anything, i could easily say if you like cassandra clare’s shadowhunter world (particularly the infernal devices) and lauren kate’s fallen series, this is one i’d recommend without any hesitation!
𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒕:
the story is divided into two parts. the first describes a rebellion from 4000 years ago that caused demons to fall from their place of glory. now, a threat to humanity, a young woman swears an oath to learn magic gifted from the moon & defend her people from the demons but everything changes when she meets one and questions everything she’s ever known. this part is filled with angst, heartache, yearning with the most thought provoking sentiments as this young woman goes through what could be defined as “deconstruction” to stand for the truth her new worldview has presented to her. without spoiling, the second part takes place in a different timeline with the same characters as this book is primarily serving the purpose of setting up future books.
𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔:
multi-layered, complex, endearing. i could feel these characters’ emotions so strongly through the pages and teared up multiple times throughout my reading journey 🥹 i do wish there had been the slightest bit more character description just to get a clearer image of what they truly look like because i would loveeee to see fanart of this book!
𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆:
this one is all for my angst loving readers! the mcs have so much tension and their moments together are so powerful. the second part of the book has significantly less focus on this but since it fit for the necessity of plot to keep moving forward, it didn’t deter my interest at all.
𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 & 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄 𝒔𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎:
it took me some time to establish the timeline this story existed within and i still feel slightly gray in that area as there’s not much scenery depiction but there’s a definite steampunk undertone that i am really loving! the magic system is stemmed from the moon and i was obsessed as soon as this element was introduced. really looking forward to how the characters’ usage of magic develops in future books!
𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔:
— bipoc main characters
— limb difference/prosthesis
𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬
— enemies to lovers
— forbidden love
— opposites attract (she’s basically a nun in training, he’s a demon)
— she falls, he falls harder
— strong family dynamics
thank you so much to grey’s promotion for a gifted digital arc in exchange for my honest thoughts! ✨
i could not put this down! for a book that’s less than 350 pages, no punches were pulled and there was never a single moment that felt lagging or muddled. it’s such a good feeling to be reading something you can just feel is intentional!
the story is extremely unique but if i had to compare it to anything, i could easily say if you like cassandra clare’s shadowhunter world (particularly the infernal devices) and lauren kate’s fallen series, this is one i’d recommend without any hesitation!
𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒕:
the story is divided into two parts. the first describes a rebellion from 4000 years ago that caused demons to fall from their place of glory. now, a threat to humanity, a young woman swears an oath to learn magic gifted from the moon & defend her people from the demons but everything changes when she meets one and questions everything she’s ever known. this part is filled with angst, heartache, yearning with the most thought provoking sentiments as this young woman goes through what could be defined as “deconstruction” to stand for the truth her new worldview has presented to her. without spoiling, the second part takes place in a different timeline with the same characters as this book is primarily serving the purpose of setting up future books.
𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔:
multi-layered, complex, endearing. i could feel these characters’ emotions so strongly through the pages and teared up multiple times throughout my reading journey 🥹 i do wish there had been the slightest bit more character description just to get a clearer image of what they truly look like because i would loveeee to see fanart of this book!
𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆:
this one is all for my angst loving readers! the mcs have so much tension and their moments together are so powerful. the second part of the book has significantly less focus on this but since it fit for the necessity of plot to keep moving forward, it didn’t deter my interest at all.
𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 & 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄 𝒔𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎:
it took me some time to establish the timeline this story existed within and i still feel slightly gray in that area as there’s not much scenery depiction but there’s a definite steampunk undertone that i am really loving! the magic system is stemmed from the moon and i was obsessed as soon as this element was introduced. really looking forward to how the characters’ usage of magic develops in future books!
𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔:
— bipoc main characters
— limb difference/prosthesis
𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬
— enemies to lovers
— forbidden love
— opposites attract (she’s basically a nun in training, he’s a demon)
— she falls, he falls harder
— strong family dynamics
thank you so much to grey’s promotion for a gifted digital arc in exchange for my honest thoughts! ✨
October 13, 2024
When a rebellion leads to demons leaving the Ever and living amongst the humans, a member of the Sister of Light, Lilavois St. James and a demon, RaZiel, are brought together. Years after falling in love, the two bring Ada St. James into the world. Now it’s her turn to meet with demons.
Rating: 4/5 stars. ⭐️
I’m a sucker for both the forbidden love trope and demon romances, so this was right up my alley.
I liked the tone and the way this was written. I thought the voice was very fitting and was written well. Overall, I thought the writing was good.
Lilavois was a great character to follow in the first half of the book. I thought her attitude and actions aligned and she was a well rounded character. Same thing goes for RaZiel and Ada.
There is disability rep in this book, which is something I find important, so many points for that.
I would have like a bit more description when it came to world building. There are a few time skips, which I think could have benefited from a little bit more time and detail.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the next!
Thank you to @valentine_pr/ @greyspromo and Cerece Rennie Murphy for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4/5 stars. ⭐️
I’m a sucker for both the forbidden love trope and demon romances, so this was right up my alley.
I liked the tone and the way this was written. I thought the voice was very fitting and was written well. Overall, I thought the writing was good.
Lilavois was a great character to follow in the first half of the book. I thought her attitude and actions aligned and she was a well rounded character. Same thing goes for RaZiel and Ada.
There is disability rep in this book, which is something I find important, so many points for that.
I would have like a bit more description when it came to world building. There are a few time skips, which I think could have benefited from a little bit more time and detail.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the next!
Thank you to @valentine_pr/ @greyspromo and Cerece Rennie Murphy for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 15, 2024
What an absolute page-turner, this stole my attention from the first chapter! This novel offers a refreshing and unique take on the enemies-to-lovers trope, beautifully woven with themes of love, conflict, and spiritual discovery.
At the heart of the story are RaZiel and Lilavois, two complex characters who defy the stereotypes they’ve been taught (and have experienced 🤔) and come to deeply understand each other. Their growth throughout the story is truly moving, and I found myself rooting for them as they navigate both personal and societal challenges. The chemistry between them feels genuine, and the way their relationship evolves is both surprising and tender.
What I particularly appreciated about this book is its exploration of spirituality. As a reader unfamiliar with the Islamic faith It enriches the narrative and adds depth to the characters’ motivations. It created a parallel view of a story I grew up learning about in the Christian religion of the story of the Fallen and to hear it retold within this narrative was eye opening.
While Ada, the central character, takes a backseat in this first installment, I’m excited to see how her story develops in future books. In the Garden of Light and Shadow is an engrossing introduction to a world full of intrigue, rich character dynamics, and philosophical depth, and I’m eager to continue the journey with Ada and the people she’s connected to.
Highly recommended for fans of character-driven stories with a touch of mysticism and heart.
At the heart of the story are RaZiel and Lilavois, two complex characters who defy the stereotypes they’ve been taught (and have experienced 🤔) and come to deeply understand each other. Their growth throughout the story is truly moving, and I found myself rooting for them as they navigate both personal and societal challenges. The chemistry between them feels genuine, and the way their relationship evolves is both surprising and tender.
What I particularly appreciated about this book is its exploration of spirituality. As a reader unfamiliar with the Islamic faith It enriches the narrative and adds depth to the characters’ motivations. It created a parallel view of a story I grew up learning about in the Christian religion of the story of the Fallen and to hear it retold within this narrative was eye opening.
While Ada, the central character, takes a backseat in this first installment, I’m excited to see how her story develops in future books. In the Garden of Light and Shadow is an engrossing introduction to a world full of intrigue, rich character dynamics, and philosophical depth, and I’m eager to continue the journey with Ada and the people she’s connected to.
Highly recommended for fans of character-driven stories with a touch of mysticism and heart.
October 15, 2024
*I received an ARC of this book*
This was such a refreshing, compelling read. The world building and character development were unique. The first part of the book provided a lot of background, which at some points I did find it difficult to keep up/remember the timeframe. Otherwise, I loved how interwoven the story was and how the past and present were juxtaposed to present this unique love story.
tropes:
forbidden love
enemies to lovers
he falls harder
disability rep
This was such a refreshing, compelling read. The world building and character development were unique. The first part of the book provided a lot of background, which at some points I did find it difficult to keep up/remember the timeframe. Otherwise, I loved how interwoven the story was and how the past and present were juxtaposed to present this unique love story.
tropes:
forbidden love
enemies to lovers
he falls harder
disability rep
October 12, 2024
Such a great book! I was intrigued and loved it!!
October 15, 2024
In the Garden of Light and Shadow: The Chronicles of Ada St. James is the first book I’ve ever read from Cerece Rennie Murphy, and it definitely won’t be my last. This was a different Romantic Fantasy story that was unlike any other book out there. The world-building is fantastic, and the characters are well-developed and memorable. In addition to the main characters, there are several other characters to keep track of, so be prepared to get to know a lot of them.
It’s separated into two parts. The first part focuses on Lilavois St. James and how she’s learning to become a member of the Sisterhood of the Light. She ends up befriending and falling in love with a demon named Raziel, who is are enemy of the sisterhood, but Raziel is different from other demons. The second part of the book focuses on Ada St. James and how she plays a significant role in the battle between good and evil.
I loved the first half of the book just as much as the second half. The first part is a forbidden romance storyline and I always enjoy reading this trope in stories. It is a slow burn, but it’s so worth reading the tension built up between Lilavois and Raziel. I loved getting to know the Sisterhood of the Light and how they are battling with the demons. I loved the second half of the book, too, and how Ada played a major role in the storyline, even though Lilavois kept secrets from her at first, for her own good.
I did have one issue after finishing it, and if there will be more in this world because I felt like the ending was a cliffhanger. I hope there is more to come because I enjoyed living in this fictional world that Cerece Rennie Murphy created. Overall, I give this book four stars. I’m glad I found it because I need more good vs. evil type books like this one and to check out other books by this author.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. This book is perfect for readers who enjoy reading Romantic Fantasies.
What to Expect:
✓Enemies to Lovers
✓Forbidden Romance
✓Opposites Attract
✓Good vs. Evil
✓Disability Rep
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Grey's Promotions in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Check out all my book reviews at A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog
It’s separated into two parts. The first part focuses on Lilavois St. James and how she’s learning to become a member of the Sisterhood of the Light. She ends up befriending and falling in love with a demon named Raziel, who is are enemy of the sisterhood, but Raziel is different from other demons. The second part of the book focuses on Ada St. James and how she plays a significant role in the battle between good and evil.
I loved the first half of the book just as much as the second half. The first part is a forbidden romance storyline and I always enjoy reading this trope in stories. It is a slow burn, but it’s so worth reading the tension built up between Lilavois and Raziel. I loved getting to know the Sisterhood of the Light and how they are battling with the demons. I loved the second half of the book, too, and how Ada played a major role in the storyline, even though Lilavois kept secrets from her at first, for her own good.
I did have one issue after finishing it, and if there will be more in this world because I felt like the ending was a cliffhanger. I hope there is more to come because I enjoyed living in this fictional world that Cerece Rennie Murphy created. Overall, I give this book four stars. I’m glad I found it because I need more good vs. evil type books like this one and to check out other books by this author.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. This book is perfect for readers who enjoy reading Romantic Fantasies.
What to Expect:
✓Enemies to Lovers
✓Forbidden Romance
✓Opposites Attract
✓Good vs. Evil
✓Disability Rep
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Grey's Promotions in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Check out all my book reviews at A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog
October 23, 2024
This was an epic, forbidden love, fantasy romance involving a love story between a nun and a demon. It was incredibly entertaining, suspenseful, emotional and romantic. It featured great world building, strong character and storyline development, intense action, as well as endearing emotional moments as the storyline unfolds. This was quite suspenseful and was a page turner which kept me engaged and invested in all of the happenings.
I enjoyed the writing style with vivid action scene descriptions and heartfelt emotions expressed throughout the storyline. The romance and character connections had strong chemistry but were also quite angsty. This helped me connect to the characters and the story. I’m not a big fantasy reader and I also appreciated the fact that the world building was not overly done and overwhelming. The book occurs across dual timelines. I was able to easily follow what was happening throughout the different timespans. This was a very well written and executed story.
Themes and Tropes:
🤎Murder Mystery
💙Magical Elements
🤍Mythical Creatures
🤎World Savior
💙Forbidden Love
🤍Dual Timelines
🤎Epic Battles
💙Enemies to Lovers
Overall, liked this read. This was my first book by this author and I look forward to exploring more of her catalogue.
I enjoyed the writing style with vivid action scene descriptions and heartfelt emotions expressed throughout the storyline. The romance and character connections had strong chemistry but were also quite angsty. This helped me connect to the characters and the story. I’m not a big fantasy reader and I also appreciated the fact that the world building was not overly done and overwhelming. The book occurs across dual timelines. I was able to easily follow what was happening throughout the different timespans. This was a very well written and executed story.
Themes and Tropes:
🤎Murder Mystery
💙Magical Elements
🤍Mythical Creatures
🤎World Savior
💙Forbidden Love
🤍Dual Timelines
🤎Epic Battles
💙Enemies to Lovers
Overall, liked this read. This was my first book by this author and I look forward to exploring more of her catalogue.
October 23, 2024
The take on magic system is unique and complex in my opinion.
RaZiel (Demon), Lilavois (Sister of Light) take the stage in first half and their tale is amazing, heartwarming filled with angst and slow burn. This forbidden love is the stepping stone for future.
I loved the fact that attention is given to all supporting charaters. The character growth is something that i do not mention often, but here it is so justified and noteworthy, I could not stop myself from mentioning.
Overall this book is a page turner, character oriented with interwoven timelines.
Sometimes i had difficulty in keeping track of timeframes and the events backing it. Nonetheless it was fun!
Anyone who enjoys enemies to lovers, forbidden love, he falls harder and angels-demons tropes will love it.
RaZiel (Demon), Lilavois (Sister of Light) take the stage in first half and their tale is amazing, heartwarming filled with angst and slow burn. This forbidden love is the stepping stone for future.
I loved the fact that attention is given to all supporting charaters. The character growth is something that i do not mention often, but here it is so justified and noteworthy, I could not stop myself from mentioning.
Overall this book is a page turner, character oriented with interwoven timelines.
Sometimes i had difficulty in keeping track of timeframes and the events backing it. Nonetheless it was fun!
Anyone who enjoys enemies to lovers, forbidden love, he falls harder and angels-demons tropes will love it.
October 20, 2024
I couldn’t put this book down because it is utterly captivating! This book has a unique take on the typical enemies to lovers trope because it’s written with this theme of spirituality woven throughout. You know that “angel and devil on your shoulder” feeling? Well this book is written with that kind of angst. The entire plot, the characters, everything was just so wonderfully written. Plus there is biopic and disability representation! Definitely check this one out!!
October 22, 2024
In The Garden of Light and Shadow by Cerece Rennie Murphy is seriously a novel worth reading! Ada St. James is a fierce main character, and the mix of magic and danger in her journey keeps you hooked. The world building is next level, and the way the story dives into light vs. darkness is just soooo goooddd. If you’re into fantasy that’s not only action-packed but also makes you think, this one is a must read! You’ll want to binge it in one sitting, trust me. 🤌🫶🔥🔥🌟💕💕
December 8, 2024
This genre isn't something I usually turn to when I'm looking to digest a read quickly, but I added it to my in case of emergency break glass reading list this year.
I enjoyed the read with this one...more than I expected to.
Cerece Rennie Murphy does a phenomenal job developing the characters here and had a magnificent pace with the action.
There looks to be another book following this, and I'll be looking forward to it.
I enjoyed the read with this one...more than I expected to.
Cerece Rennie Murphy does a phenomenal job developing the characters here and had a magnificent pace with the action.
There looks to be another book following this, and I'll be looking forward to it.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews