Lightwalkers

by Jacquelyn Holmes

Acantha is a downlander with a hollow eye, and her village doesn't want her. She's been training as a bonesetter for five years, but even that won't save her. No one wants a hollowed girl. On her seventeenth birthday, her time runs out.

Athan is a Lightwalker. He would have kept riding, except his light partner is gravely injured. Desperate, he heads into the nearest downlander village to find a healer. Instead, he finds Acantha.

Homeless, orphaned, and now on the run, Acantha agrees to travel with the mysterious Lightwalkers. But when the journey is over, and they don't need her anymore, where will she go?

444 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 11, 2025

About the author

I'm the author of the "Native Legends" series and the "Lightwalker" series. I'm also the writer for the book review blog, "Weird Old Books." I'm an indie published writer. I'm also a homeschooling mom of 2, a former social worker and a current terrible baker. Please ignore the smoke detector beeping in the background.

Reviews

[Mandy Lehti]

Lightwalkers is a darkly imaginative, emotionally charged fantasy that immediately plunges readers into a world where superstition, fear, and shadowy danger shape every corner of life. Jacquelyn Holmes introduces us to Acantha, a hollowed girl marked by misfortune, whose strength, resilience, and fierce loyalty to her younger brother make her instantly compelling.

The worldbuilding is rich and atmospheric: shadow creatures that can kill with a touch, a society wary of the gifted and the cursed, and the mysterious Lightwalkers whose powers offer hope but not easy answers. Holmes balances tension, intrigue, and character depth, allowing Acantha’s journey to resonate emotionally as she navigates distrust, danger, and her own longing for acceptance. Athan’s introduction adds intrigue and a spark of hope, setting up a partnership that feels both necessary and full of potential.

This story is a perfect blend of dark fantasy, adventure, and character-driven narrative. It’s suspenseful, immersive, and emotionally gripping a tale of courage, survival, and the search for belonging in a world that fears difference.

[Megan Grant]

The sassy and strong FMC hooked me right away. Ancantha is carrying for herself and her younger brother.

When the villagers deem her a witch and try to burn her at the stake, Athan wisks her away and saves her. Acantha and her brother join the Lightwalkers on their journey.

I love Acantha's character development. She's already a strong, independent woman, but she she continues to own it. She learns new things and continues to learn about the Lightwalkers and their ways.

I was so engrossed, that when I flipped the last page and it was over, I wanted more!

Wait, that's it?! What happens next?!