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In Aeternum trilogy #2
The Light They Left
Feed on the dark, and it will feed on you.
It’s been months since Christopher and Elizabeth narrowly survived an attack from his vampire enemies, but things are far from perfect. Memories from before he became a vampire are resurfacing, pulling him into the past he once disowned. His feelings for Elizabeth are growing, getting harder to hide by the day. And when the unpredictable vampire known as the Shadow reappears, Christopher knows the Enchantress isn’t far behind.
Desperate to find a safe refuge and understand the changes that are happening to him, Christopher travels with Elizabeth and Father Stephen to an ancient German monastery that is intimately tied to his past. But the dark forest outside holds secrets of its own: secrets that Christopher sacrificed everything to forget.
In this gripping sequel to The Curse He Chose, Sister Allison Regina breaks new ground in the genre-bending In Aeternum trilogy, bridging the suspense of urban fantasy with the Christian drama of sin, grace, and redemption. Recommended for ages 14+
It’s been months since Christopher and Elizabeth narrowly survived an attack from his vampire enemies, but things are far from perfect. Memories from before he became a vampire are resurfacing, pulling him into the past he once disowned. His feelings for Elizabeth are growing, getting harder to hide by the day. And when the unpredictable vampire known as the Shadow reappears, Christopher knows the Enchantress isn’t far behind.
Desperate to find a safe refuge and understand the changes that are happening to him, Christopher travels with Elizabeth and Father Stephen to an ancient German monastery that is intimately tied to his past. But the dark forest outside holds secrets of its own: secrets that Christopher sacrificed everything to forget.
In this gripping sequel to The Curse He Chose, Sister Allison Regina breaks new ground in the genre-bending In Aeternum trilogy, bridging the suspense of urban fantasy with the Christian drama of sin, grace, and redemption. Recommended for ages 14+
384 pages, Paperback
Published January 2, 2026
11 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
About the author
Allison Regina Gliot
6 books124 followersSr. Allison Regina Gliot FSP (@sister_allison) has always loved reading and telling stories (the more fantastical the better). She fell in love with Jesus in college and became a Daughter of St. Paul after graduation to spend the rest of her life with him. Since then, she’s had many adventures, the most recent of which involves serving as an editor for Pauline Books & Media, the publishing house of the Daughters of St. Paul. She spends her free time writing books and looking for lizards in the convent backyard.
She is the author of The Book That Changed Everything, dubbed a 2025 "Backlist Beauty" by the Catholic Media Association; Eli's Quiet Friend, winner of the 2025 Excellence in Publishing Award in Picture Books from the Association of Catholic Publishers; Forgiven: A Guide to Confession and the Examen Prayer, winner of the 2025 CMA Book Award in Books for Young Adults; and The Curse He Chose, the first of the In Aeternum YA trilogy.
She is the author of The Book That Changed Everything, dubbed a 2025 "Backlist Beauty" by the Catholic Media Association; Eli's Quiet Friend, winner of the 2025 Excellence in Publishing Award in Picture Books from the Association of Catholic Publishers; Forgiven: A Guide to Confession and the Examen Prayer, winner of the 2025 CMA Book Award in Books for Young Adults; and The Curse He Chose, the first of the In Aeternum YA trilogy.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 7, 2026
I would give this 6 stars if that was an option.
January 13, 2026
I don’t typically read vampire stories, but I would give this series all the stars if I could. I wish all vampire novels were like this one. Actually, I wish all Catholic Fiction proclaimed our faith so beautifully as this one does. It’s like a love note to the Eucharist and the belief that no one is too far gone to come home again.
January 15, 2026
AHHHHHH.
That's it. That's the whole review.
Just kidding.
I pre-ordered this as soon as I got word it was available. In this gripping sequel, we get a dual-timeline story, slipping back and forth between Christopher's past and present as he tries to embrace Jesus and find freedom from his...vampiric tendencies.
The Eucharist is still sustaining our fanged friend, but he can't be out in sunlight, and he's been slipping into trances of memories of his loving family, absentee father, and mysterious hunter in the Black Forest who encourages him to think for himself.
Seeing Christopher as a young boy and then teen wrestling with God was a fascinating juxtaposition with his struggles in the present. In both timelines, he fights circumstances outside of his control, and his cold scientific understanding of things as a child helps the reader understand how he alienated himself from his family and then made the final horrible decision.
I loved the German touches to this story and the increase in positive spiritual influences for Christopher. I appreciated the story being from him perspective this time, though I did miss getting Elizabeth's thoughts. Still, I found her easier to understand, and I wanted to face palm every time Christopher misinterpreted her attraction to him as fear.
The revelations of the past were heartbreaking, and I can't BELIEVE my fears were realized. I try not to make predictions, so it really got me this time. Now I have to wait for the final installment wondering how on earth God is going to use Christopher to fix all of the damage he did...
That's it. That's the whole review.
Just kidding.
I pre-ordered this as soon as I got word it was available. In this gripping sequel, we get a dual-timeline story, slipping back and forth between Christopher's past and present as he tries to embrace Jesus and find freedom from his...vampiric tendencies.
The Eucharist is still sustaining our fanged friend, but he can't be out in sunlight, and he's been slipping into trances of memories of his loving family, absentee father, and mysterious hunter in the Black Forest who encourages him to think for himself.
Seeing Christopher as a young boy and then teen wrestling with God was a fascinating juxtaposition with his struggles in the present. In both timelines, he fights circumstances outside of his control, and his cold scientific understanding of things as a child helps the reader understand how he alienated himself from his family and then made the final horrible decision.
I loved the German touches to this story and the increase in positive spiritual influences for Christopher. I appreciated the story being from him perspective this time, though I did miss getting Elizabeth's thoughts. Still, I found her easier to understand, and I wanted to face palm every time Christopher misinterpreted her attraction to him as fear.
The revelations of the past were heartbreaking, and I can't BELIEVE my fears were realized. I try not to make predictions, so it really got me this time. Now I have to wait for the final installment wondering how on earth God is going to use Christopher to fix all of the damage he did...
January 15, 2026
THE END 😱 NEVER IN MY LIFE WOULD I HAVE SEEN THAT COMING
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2026
Wow. I actually love this book so much I would give it 10/5 if I could. Such a tangible way to understand the battle of the heart between accepting love and forgiveness and letting others into our hearts and being so crippled with our own weakness, shame, and poverty.
March 7, 2026
I think I may have dislocated my jaw with how large it dropped at that ending :)
January 19, 2026
I can’t even describe how much I felt for this book. It took my heart, made it grow, and broke it at the same time. My mind is still swirling from finishing it last night. I also cried a river.
In fact… I’ll even go as far as saying I liked this book EVEN MORE than the first one! And that’s saying something because I’ve never experienced that before!
Yes, it’s an amnesia story that I know people are cautious about, but the way this book does it REALLY adds to the present day story. Also… I admit I’m a lover of the “person with amnesia is slowly getting their memories back” trope so I might be slightly biased. ‘:)
On the Catholic side of the story, THIS WAS SO COOL! The last book was good in Elizabeth’s POV, showing the side of Catholicism that an average cradle Catholic would know, or at least someone strong in their faith, but seeing everything from Christopher’s POV was truly something else entirely! Being a vampire, he gets to see and feel things that we can’t, whether that’s consecrated grounds/people or the true presence of the Eucharist. But even knowing/feeling these things exist, he struggles to believe he is worthy of God’s love, and I know many people will relate to this.
I’m so excited to read the next and final book and I know the wait will be well worth it!
In fact… I’ll even go as far as saying I liked this book EVEN MORE than the first one! And that’s saying something because I’ve never experienced that before!
Yes, it’s an amnesia story that I know people are cautious about, but the way this book does it REALLY adds to the present day story. Also… I admit I’m a lover of the “person with amnesia is slowly getting their memories back” trope so I might be slightly biased. ‘:)
On the Catholic side of the story, THIS WAS SO COOL! The last book was good in Elizabeth’s POV, showing the side of Catholicism that an average cradle Catholic would know, or at least someone strong in their faith, but seeing everything from Christopher’s POV was truly something else entirely! Being a vampire, he gets to see and feel things that we can’t, whether that’s consecrated grounds/people or the true presence of the Eucharist. But even knowing/feeling these things exist, he struggles to believe he is worthy of God’s love, and I know many people will relate to this.
I’m so excited to read the next and final book and I know the wait will be well worth it!
February 11, 2026
Just...wow.
The first one was pretty good. I enjoyed reading it.
This one, though...
Once upon a time I went to an oral storytelling festival and was blown away by the storyteller's ability to end on a bang. And then deliver a BIGGER bang and top themselves. Mic drop.
That is what Sr Gliot pulls off here- and it inspires wonder and awe. It is a thing of beauty.
I was planning on writing all about how she shifts from the past to the present, so that you hardly notice when she stops using present tense and starts using past- how she handles two storylines that mirror each other in the pacing and drama and makes it look so easy- But now all I can think about is the ending.
And how now I have to wait for the next one.
The only people who should not read this book are the people who have to read an entire series at once. You guys should definitely wait until the last book comes out.
The rest of you- what are you waiting for? Get this book!!!
The first one was pretty good. I enjoyed reading it.
This one, though...
Once upon a time I went to an oral storytelling festival and was blown away by the storyteller's ability to end on a bang. And then deliver a BIGGER bang and top themselves. Mic drop.
That is what Sr Gliot pulls off here- and it inspires wonder and awe. It is a thing of beauty.
I was planning on writing all about how she shifts from the past to the present, so that you hardly notice when she stops using present tense and starts using past- how she handles two storylines that mirror each other in the pacing and drama and makes it look so easy- But now all I can think about is the ending.
And how now I have to wait for the next one.
The only people who should not read this book are the people who have to read an entire series at once. You guys should definitely wait until the last book comes out.
The rest of you- what are you waiting for? Get this book!!!
January 14, 2026
I was very excited to get this book, after reading the first one in just a few days, and boy it did not disappoint! I even think I might have enjoyed it more than the first one!
I really liked getting to see Christopher's past and how it affected who he was in the present. I also liked how the setting was completely different from the first book, and how it connected to his old home.
And that ending?! I need the next book now! (I will patiently wait for it, but am so excited to find out what happens next!)
Did I stay up way too late reading? Yes I did. Would I do it again? Absolutely
I really liked getting to see Christopher's past and how it affected who he was in the present. I also liked how the setting was completely different from the first book, and how it connected to his old home.
And that ending?! I need the next book now! (I will patiently wait for it, but am so excited to find out what happens next!)
Did I stay up way too late reading? Yes I did. Would I do it again? Absolutely
January 5, 2026
The Light They Left is a beautiful follow-up to The Curse He Chose. We get to delve into Christopher's history and join him on his journey. Seeing things through his eyes, from a fresh perspective, was surprisingly illuminating. The ending sets you up nicely for book three, which I can't wait to read!
January 19, 2026
Words cannot express how much I loved this book! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. The historical fiction aspects of it were fascinating, and the story was super well-balanced between memories and present-day. It was really interesting to see a snapshot of some of the theories regarding Baptism in the 1800s, and I absolutely adored the descriptions of the Eucharist throughout the book!
January 28, 2026
The end had me in tears!!! 😭 This is a great sequel to The Curse He Chose, and I loved that we got to have Christopher’s POV for this one! Sister Allison did a fantastic job of depicting the struggles of fully surrendering to God’s will and the never-ending mercy He gives to us. Just shot straight to my soul! I CANNOT wait for the final book to be out in this trilogy!!!
January 30, 2026
This was an amazing book! Sr. Allison wowed us again. Christoher and Elizabeth are adventuring in Germany, and we finally, finally, start to know more about Christopher's past. The pacing is a little bit slower than the first book, but the end-- it has all the action and excitement. There's beautiful discourse on the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, as well as some truly touching scenes. Can't wait until book three comes out!
January 21, 2026
how beautifully portrayed was the power of the Eucharist! I sometimes read this story during Adoration, so the those times when the Eucharist came about, WOW!
February 3, 2026
YALL OMG OMG OMG!!! SPEECHLESS!!! Christopher needs a hug… Elizabeth needs a hug… Fr Stephen needs a hug and a nap. THE ENDING?!?!?! MINDBLOWINGGGGGGG!!!! The ending of this book makes me even more excited for my Confirmation into the Catholic Church on Palm Sunday!!! Sr. Allison you’ve done it again!
February 25, 2026
AMAZING! I had read the reviews saying how good this book was and it did not disappoint. I absolutely love the way our faith is such a part of this whole story. So many emotions throughout this book! As soon as I finished this book, I wanted to start it all over again. Seriously, THE BEST series I have read in a long time.
February 27, 2026
If you would've told me a year ago that I'd be reading a redeemed vampire series written by a Catholic nun that would increase my appreciation for the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, I would've said you were crazy. Yet here we are. Fantastic, engaging, and deeply layered follow-up to the intriguing first book of the trilogy, The Curse He Chose, which I also loved. The Light They Left slightly edges the first one out in enjoyment due to the interesting backstory of Christopher. And that ending!!!! :O Please write the final installment ASAP, Sister Allison!!! <3
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews