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White Lights #1
White Lights
Not yet published
Expected 9 Jun 26#1
New York Times
bestselling author Lauren Kate, whose Fallen series has over 10 million copies in print and has sold over 11 million copies of her novels around the world, is returning to the romantasy world of angels that's perfect for Fallen fans and new audiences alike.
When mysterious Rafe de la Cruz rolls into Desdemona’s life to recruit her to the elite film school Acheron, Dez has no reason to trust him—and no other option. A violent attack has just put her brother in the hospital…and Dez is the only suspect. Guilt-ridden and grieving, she finds herself running from the law to chase her longtime dream of making movies, at a school she’s never heard of. Soon, she’s dropped into Acheron’s cutthroat world of seductive intrigue, power on an otherworldly scale, and deadly competition.
Acheron may seem like the ticket to a future Dez has always wanted, but as she delves deeper into the secret work being done there, she finds herself trapped in an existential conflict on a cosmic scale—with more than her heart on the line.
When mysterious Rafe de la Cruz rolls into Desdemona’s life to recruit her to the elite film school Acheron, Dez has no reason to trust him—and no other option. A violent attack has just put her brother in the hospital…and Dez is the only suspect. Guilt-ridden and grieving, she finds herself running from the law to chase her longtime dream of making movies, at a school she’s never heard of. Soon, she’s dropped into Acheron’s cutthroat world of seductive intrigue, power on an otherworldly scale, and deadly competition.
Acheron may seem like the ticket to a future Dez has always wanted, but as she delves deeper into the secret work being done there, she finds herself trapped in an existential conflict on a cosmic scale—with more than her heart on the line.
416 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication June 4, 2026
6 people are currently reading
22920 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Kate
31 books26.7k followersLauren Kate is the author of novels 15 novels including the FALLEN series, now an Emmy-winning television series on AMC+. Her forthcoming angel-focused romantasy trilogy, WHITE LIGHTS, will publish in June 2026. She lives in Laurel Canyon with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
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January 2, 2026OMG guys, Lauren Kate is back with a brand new angel series and it’s a trilogy! 😍 I’m so excited because she confirmed it’s in the same metaverse as Fallen, so even though it focuses on new characters, we might get some small connections to the world we love. It’s not a continuation of the old characters (sadly 😢).
The prologue is already out and you can read it here: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertai...
I’m already hyped to see what she does with it. And yes, I’ll be keeping an eye out for every little hint that connects back to the Fallen series 😉
The prologue is already out and you can read it here: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertai...
I’m already hyped to see what she does with it. And yes, I’ll be keeping an eye out for every little hint that connects back to the Fallen series 😉
future-releases
November 7, 2025We are so back
Want to read
January 16, 2026OMG!!!! What!!! Its happening! ❤️❤️❤️🤯 What's the procedure!
February 14, 2026
This book was, frankly, absurd. It was the literary equivalent of a 52 car pile-up trammeled by a runaway rail-car. It felt like if you read the plot of every early 2010's Paranormal Fantasy Romance from the teen section and then hallucinated a more adult-forward plot, with the adult elements just being... more sexual content.
I still don't entirely understand why lust/sex played such a huge role in many of the main world mechanics at play here. It was spotlighted in a way that bordered on unnatural. It also felt a bit... out of accordance with the type of beings that take center stage in this book? The only rationale I can think of is that it makes for a more adult book, but it certainly doesn't make for a more interesting narrative.
And yet I found it to be addicting, to the point that I'll probably still read the second book when it comes out. But boy oh boy, there was so much about this plot that was absolutely ludicrous, and my reading of this book required multiple pauses just so that I could briefly stare at my ceiling and contemplate what on earth I was spending my time reading.
Bottom line: The central concept itself was extremely cool and unique. I've never seen another author take on such an ambitious idea and make it completely their own. I just wish it wasn't sidelined by weak character-building, tacky dialogue, and romantic attachments that don't make any sense (she met Asher ONCE and hardly knew him. Why was she so obsessed with him, and how could a single-day encounter possibly be life-altering for the both of them?)
I still don't entirely understand why lust/sex played such a huge role in many of the main world mechanics at play here. It was spotlighted in a way that bordered on unnatural. It also felt a bit... out of accordance with the type of beings that take center stage in this book? The only rationale I can think of is that it makes for a more adult book, but it certainly doesn't make for a more interesting narrative.
And yet I found it to be addicting, to the point that I'll probably still read the second book when it comes out. But boy oh boy, there was so much about this plot that was absolutely ludicrous, and my reading of this book required multiple pauses just so that I could briefly stare at my ceiling and contemplate what on earth I was spending my time reading.
Bottom line: The central concept itself was extremely cool and unique. I've never seen another author take on such an ambitious idea and make it completely their own. I just wish it wasn't sidelined by weak character-building, tacky dialogue, and romantic attachments that don't make any sense (she met Asher ONCE and hardly knew him. Why was she so obsessed with him, and how could a single-day encounter possibly be life-altering for the both of them?)
February 15, 2026
I'm a HUGE Lauren Kate fan, so when I was approved for an eARC of White Lights on my NetGalley account I couldn't wait to start reading. I love that she takes us back to a story that feels reminiscent of the Fallen series. I was hanging on every word and stayed up half the night to finish it. It's often said that all of the stories have already been written, just in different ways and with different characters, but White Lights hits a little different. When Dez gets recruited by Rafe to the elite film school, Acheron, she knows it's her best option given the circumstances of her involvement in her brother's violent attack that left him critically hospitalized. Dez and Rafe's relationship feels complex from the get-go, so I knew it was going to be a tumultuous ride, but I was completely blown away as more and more of the story unfolded. I also loved the other characters and their importance to the storyline. What I found most mesmerizing was the way Dez's filmmaking skills were described and revealed. White Lights is so well written that I felt like I was truly immersed within the story. It has all the perfect elements of a must-read--romance, suspense, deception, complicated relationships, and the possibilities of what happens in the next book in the series. Thank you immensely to Grand Central Publishing, NetGalley, and Lauren Kate for the opportunity to read White Lights as an eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. I've already got my physical copy preordered!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Did not live up to my own personal hype
**ARC READ**
3.5⭐️
2.5/5🌶️
Single/third person POV (only prologue is from MMC POV)
Book 1 in a trilogy
Format: e-arc
Spoiler free
Thank you to NetGalley & to Grand Central Publishing for granting me this arc read.
I’m not quite sure what I’m feeling towards this book; it’s certainly a mixed bag😪
The good
So here is this author that I very much enjoyed as a teenager coming out with a NA series now that I am an adult myself. Kate’s writing style has not changed. It’s still overly simplistic & easy to read & digest which really drew forth my nostalgia. Especially since the premise here happens to also be about angels, like in her OG Fallen series.
I love that the synopsis is so straightforward but without giving too much away because one needs to have as little information as possible going into this. The summary also feels almost misleading in a way because for the first half of the book, I was right there with the FMC: not a clue what is even happening/where could this possibly be going. The writing may be simple but it’s so perfectly eerie & quirky in the first half, which only benefited the weird mystery & suspense of the FMC’s messed up situation. The pacing was fast paced & soooooo well done, without any lulls.
Just when I thought I got the hang of the strange plot, then the second half of the book really revs things up since we finally get to the unique premise of angels. This literally turns into a grown up version of Fallen😅Getting to see the plot unfold around this take on angels/life/death/even religion is so unique & original. Eventually, I was wondering what genre am I reading? It’s such a great fantasy genre blend.
The not so good
That simple writing style (dialogue included) most of the time, was clunky & stilted. The transitions between scenes were stiff & jarring.
Then there’s the cheapest plot tool of the book IMO: the “sex sells.” It seems that in her quest to make this Fallen for adults, Kate didn’t realize that the raunchiness was so unnecessary. Raunchy is too plain a term. All of the spice/sex/smut was so uncomfortable in the wrong way (not in the makes you think way.) It was so forced that it felt insincere & over done; kinda like over acting. The author was pushing for an R rating down the wrong avenue. It just diluted the FMC’s story so much. When there are much stronger adult themes here that one can explore in adult fiction about angels/heaven/god/.
Which the author certainly tries to explore but these themes never quite hit the mark. The story tries hard to be thought provoking & edgy but ends up falling flat.
Finally, the biggest drawback for me are the romance(s.) She did promise us a love triangle but I honestly feel nothing for both of these dudes. Do not care one bit for her “feelings” for either of them. The primary MMC is so bland no matter how supersonic their insta-lust goes. She also promised enemies to lovers but what we got was basically forced spice. The secondary MMC is just there somewhere😂 (I don’t wanna spoil anything) so I’m hoping we get more of him next book. This story could have done with the primary romance being secondary as well, as opposed to them just lusting over each other. Sucks because there was so much potential with the main dude but she took away from that storyline by giving us horny idiots instead of holy beings that should be wise beyond their years.
**Releases 06/09/2026**
**ARC READ**
3.5⭐️
2.5/5🌶️
Single/third person POV (only prologue is from MMC POV)
Book 1 in a trilogy
Format: e-arc
Spoiler free
Thank you to NetGalley & to Grand Central Publishing for granting me this arc read.
I’m not quite sure what I’m feeling towards this book; it’s certainly a mixed bag😪
The good
So here is this author that I very much enjoyed as a teenager coming out with a NA series now that I am an adult myself. Kate’s writing style has not changed. It’s still overly simplistic & easy to read & digest which really drew forth my nostalgia. Especially since the premise here happens to also be about angels, like in her OG Fallen series.
I love that the synopsis is so straightforward but without giving too much away because one needs to have as little information as possible going into this. The summary also feels almost misleading in a way because for the first half of the book, I was right there with the FMC: not a clue what is even happening/where could this possibly be going. The writing may be simple but it’s so perfectly eerie & quirky in the first half, which only benefited the weird mystery & suspense of the FMC’s messed up situation. The pacing was fast paced & soooooo well done, without any lulls.
Just when I thought I got the hang of the strange plot, then the second half of the book really revs things up since we finally get to the unique premise of angels. This literally turns into a grown up version of Fallen😅Getting to see the plot unfold around this take on angels/life/death/even religion is so unique & original. Eventually, I was wondering what genre am I reading? It’s such a great fantasy genre blend.
The not so good
That simple writing style (dialogue included) most of the time, was clunky & stilted. The transitions between scenes were stiff & jarring.
Then there’s the cheapest plot tool of the book IMO: the “sex sells.” It seems that in her quest to make this Fallen for adults, Kate didn’t realize that the raunchiness was so unnecessary. Raunchy is too plain a term. All of the spice/sex/smut was so uncomfortable in the wrong way (not in the makes you think way.) It was so forced that it felt insincere & over done; kinda like over acting. The author was pushing for an R rating down the wrong avenue. It just diluted the FMC’s story so much. When there are much stronger adult themes here that one can explore in adult fiction about angels/heaven/god/.
Which the author certainly tries to explore but these themes never quite hit the mark. The story tries hard to be thought provoking & edgy but ends up falling flat.
Finally, the biggest drawback for me are the romance(s.) She did promise us a love triangle but I honestly feel nothing for both of these dudes. Do not care one bit for her “feelings” for either of them. The primary MMC is so bland no matter how supersonic their insta-lust goes. She also promised enemies to lovers but what we got was basically forced spice. The secondary MMC is just there somewhere😂 (I don’t wanna spoil anything) so I’m hoping we get more of him next book. This story could have done with the primary romance being secondary as well, as opposed to them just lusting over each other. Sucks because there was so much potential with the main dude but she took away from that storyline by giving us horny idiots instead of holy beings that should be wise beyond their years.
**Releases 06/09/2026**
February 14, 2026
3.5 ✨ NetGalley ARC review
This book had soooo much potential. The overall storyline was unique and captivating. However, the book and writing itself irked me enough that I almost didn’t want to finish it
The beginning felt slow but it worked for the plot but that wasn’t something I understood until later. Once you get to the twist, things take off. But the transition of scenes (and occasionally chapters) felt abrupt or that we randomly skipped forward in time without rhyme or reason to the point where it felt uncomfortable as the reader. I also feel like the randomly added millennial/gen z slang really pulled me out of the story. Also the fact that this is written third person but was the FMC POV the entire time didn’t seem right, either.
The romance felt forced and the spice didn’t quite fit. You then feel odd questioning this love triangle that clearly shouldn’t exist but then you randomly start rooting for one half anyway? I loved the betrayal concept but the timing didn’t seem right, it felt forced in at like the 80% mark.
Again, the plot and concept was amazing but the overall writing really hindered my overall perception of this book.
This book had soooo much potential. The overall storyline was unique and captivating. However, the book and writing itself irked me enough that I almost didn’t want to finish it
The beginning felt slow but it worked for the plot but that wasn’t something I understood until later. Once you get to the twist, things take off. But the transition of scenes (and occasionally chapters) felt abrupt or that we randomly skipped forward in time without rhyme or reason to the point where it felt uncomfortable as the reader. I also feel like the randomly added millennial/gen z slang really pulled me out of the story. Also the fact that this is written third person but was the FMC POV the entire time didn’t seem right, either.
The romance felt forced and the spice didn’t quite fit. You then feel odd questioning this love triangle that clearly shouldn’t exist but then you randomly start rooting for one half anyway? I loved the betrayal concept but the timing didn’t seem right, it felt forced in at like the 80% mark.
Again, the plot and concept was amazing but the overall writing really hindered my overall perception of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book is dark and seductive. The moment Rafe steps into Dez's life the story has lot of tension. Dez is driven, vulnerable and determined.
Acheron looks like an elite haven but beneath the surface lies something darker and more dangerous. The competition is brutal with the stakes deadlier than any academic failure. This story raises the stakes from personal ambition to existential survival. The intrigue never overshadows the emotional core. Dez's grief, guilt and longing is the forefront of the book, with Rafe that is mysterious, keeping readers guessing if he is the savior, manipulator or something more dangerous.
This book blends ambition, morality and supernatural power into a story that feels intimate and epic. Great for readers that love an academia setting with a speculative twist. This book was impossible to put down.
Acheron looks like an elite haven but beneath the surface lies something darker and more dangerous. The competition is brutal with the stakes deadlier than any academic failure. This story raises the stakes from personal ambition to existential survival. The intrigue never overshadows the emotional core. Dez's grief, guilt and longing is the forefront of the book, with Rafe that is mysterious, keeping readers guessing if he is the savior, manipulator or something more dangerous.
This book blends ambition, morality and supernatural power into a story that feels intimate and epic. Great for readers that love an academia setting with a speculative twist. This book was impossible to put down.
February 23, 2026
I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t keep reading. I had the ick so hard, I DNF’ed at 18%.
I don’t know where this book is going and I don’t care. Not only is the writing choppy, but it is all graphic violence (by chapter 4 someone’s eyeball pops out and another guys face melts off) and so much sex. I stopped when we discovered our FMC’s roommate is a dominatrix and rude to Dez. I’m not a prude but I can only take so much. Especially when the MMC was cuddling up with another naked woman all evening while the FMC felt abandoned at the bar because she didn’t know anyone.
I love Lauren Kate and I loved the Fallen series. I would read that series a million times more before I picked this book up again.
*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t know where this book is going and I don’t care. Not only is the writing choppy, but it is all graphic violence (by chapter 4 someone’s eyeball pops out and another guys face melts off) and so much sex. I stopped when we discovered our FMC’s roommate is a dominatrix and rude to Dez. I’m not a prude but I can only take so much. Especially when the MMC was cuddling up with another naked woman all evening while the FMC felt abandoned at the bar because she didn’t know anyone.
I love Lauren Kate and I loved the Fallen series. I would read that series a million times more before I picked this book up again.
*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I have so many thoughts that need to be compiled. Suffice to say, it was an amazing book AND THAT CLIFFIE IS SOMETHING.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews