The Lights

by Carrie Pack

It's winter break and Molly Monroe is content to enjoy her town's annual Festival of Lights with her girlfriend Chelsea at her side. But almost immediately after the lights go up, the town's children begin to act strangely, especially Molly's own brother, Roger. When their next-door neighbors are killed in a grisly double homicide, Molly begins to suspect the incidents are linked. Now she must convince her parents and the rest of the town to take down the Christmas lights before everyone gets killed.

Genres: Horror, Queer, LGBT, Young Adult, Queer Lit, Thriller, Holiday

Paperback

First published December 11, 2018

About the author

Carrie Pack is an author of books in multiple genres, including Designs on You (2014), In the Present Tense (2016), and Grrrls on the Side (2017). She is a recipient of two Foreword Reviews INDIES Book of the Year Bronze awards: in 2016 for In the Present Tense (science fiction) and in 2017 for Grrrls on the Side (young adult). Grrrls on the Side was also a finalist in the Bi Book Awards.

Her novels focus on characters finding themselves in their own time—something she experienced for herself when she came out as bisexual in her thirties. She also hosts the BiSciFi podcast and is creator of the #BiSciFi Twitter chat. She's passionate about science fiction, feminism, and red lipstick. Carrie lives in Florida, or as she likes to call it, “America’s Wang.”

Reviews

[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas is an especially big deal in Molly’s town, where the citizens decorate extravagantly each year—including the tremendous amount of sparkling lights that go up each year. Something is different about the lights this year, and they’re having a terrifying effect on the children in town.

I’m a total sucker for Christmas horror stories, so I would have added this to my TBR based on the synopsis alone, but when I learned it also featured an f/f romance? Well, count me in!

Before the horror that was my darkest Christmas, the lights were a welcome sight.

First, the plot of this story? Genuinely a little terrifying. Kids can be creepy to begin with, and the idea of these children being turned into raging murderers just by staring at a few strings of Christmas lights is unsettling. Likewise, the gore put on display during the murders is surprisingly dark for YA horror, which was a nice change of pace from what I expected. There’s a line that describes a man’s entrails being wrapped around the tree like garland, and my gore-loving little self couldn’t help but cackle a little over that.

For the characters, the relationship between Molly and her girlfriend Chelsea feels like an actual teen relationship with some tender moments mixed in with a bit of bickering that ups the reality factor. There’s also a nonbinary/ace side character who was honestly the star of the show for me.
The only notable flaw in the story for me was the ending and explanation of events. While it wasn’t bad, I think the bulk of the story was so well-done that I expected more and was a little surprised by how vague and up in the air the last little bit felt to me. That said, if you’re looking for a fun, short holiday horror read with some diversity thrown in, definitely grab a copy of The Lights. I had a ton of fun reading this and would very happily pick up future horror releases from this author!

Content warnings for gore, murder, child death

All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to the author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[exorcismemily · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Before the horror that was my darkest Christmas, the lights were a welcome sight."

I buddy read The Lights on Christmas with my friend Tracy, and we enjoyed this one! It's a LGBTQ+ Christmas horror novella, and the story is fun and gory. If you like horror stories with creepy kids, this is definitely one for you. I felt that the ending was a little lackluster, but I was so entertained by the rest of the story. Grab this one to read next Christmas!

[Tyler Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending was a bit vague but otherwise this story was terrifying! And emotional, I literally cried. Queer to, a sapphic main couple and a main nonbinary/ace character. Loved them.

I listened to it on Hoopla and the audio book could've been produced better. The narration was good, but there was silence for a couple minutes at the end of chapter 2, seriously, over 2 minutes of silence, plus random (much shorter) awkward silences.

But I really enjoyed/was terrified by the story.

[Susy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
Eerie and sweet at the same time.

Characters 7
Atmosphere 8
Writing Style 7
Premise 7
Execution/Plot 7
Execution/Pace 7
Execution/Setup 7
Enjoyment/Engrossment 7
Narration 7

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4 on Goodreads/Amazon

I needed a short Christmas horror story to read this season, and when my friend Emily mentioned she was reading this one, I jumped right in. Holiday lights with an agenda, a diverse array of characters, and creepy kids are the three things that made me excited to pick this one up.

When the action of this novella is in full swing, it boasts great gory fun and several "creep me out" moments. I don't know what it is about kids and their ability to be some of the most disturbing villains. Perhaps it is because we, in general, think of kids as inherently innocent. The destruction of this or even the absence of it can make for some great horror fiction. Pack does a good job with this, Roger (the mc's brother) and this one little kid on the swings (eek) have some of my favorite scenes.

The only thing that held this back from a higher rating for me was what seemed like a rushed ending and some issues I had with dialogue and switching from action to just straight exposition. I felt like some of the background info was a little clunky.

Beyond those things, I had a good time reading this novella and I will look for more horror stories from Carrie Pack in the future.

[Melanie Marsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Releasing just in time for the holidays, The Lights by Carrie Pack is the perfect amount of creepy to make you question whether those new LED Christmas lights are truly worth it. If the idea of murderous kids obsessed with Christmas lights doesn’t make you nervous, I don’t know what will.

When the younger kids in town start acting freaky after the annual Christmas light display in this small town, Molly, her girlfriend Chelsea and their newish friend Brandon must figure out how to keep themselves and loved ones alive. For some reason, none of the adults in town have noticed there’s a problem, but then again why would they expect kids to be murderers?

There is something to be said about innocent looking children murdering the adults in town. That is one of the few ideas that scares the hell out of me. Despite my fear of brutal kids, I really loved this book. The Lights is the first book I’ve read by Carrie Pack but I’m confident I will read more of her books very soon. Her story telling is top notch and her characters are unique and interesting. They are normal and easy to relate to.

The Lights kept me anxiously awaiting the next bit of horror with each page. I definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a good scare right before Christmas (or anytime really). Thanks to this book, I can say I plan to talk my husband out of buying the lights he planned to get for the house this year!

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a creepy intriguing tale I couldn’t put down. I’ll admit it doesn’t take much to scare me but this one had me sleeping with a night light and a teddy bear. If scary is for you I recommend this book.

[Jess Currier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had so much fun reading this Christmas horror! If you’re looking for a Christmas-y slasher that stabs you in the gut and feelings then this is it! I hope there’s more to come.

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Before the horror that was my darkest Christmas, the lights were a welcome sight."

A fantastic horrific gruesome book that is perfect for both Halloween and Christmas. It is like The Nightmare Before Christmas, a movie both fitting these two holidays.

It is all about a sweet town named New Brighton. The townspeople are looking forward to Christmas, but before that there is the Festival of Lights. This year the lights are a bit different, the mayor wanted to be a bit more ecological... but is that wise?

Our MC quite soon notices that something is off, I did think it was amazing that she saw that for it wasn't something that most people would see. What was wrong? The littlest kids of the town were totally entranced by the lights. Murmuring. Whispering. Acting like little zombies. But that is just that at first, but then not many hours after that there are screams next door. Our MC sees a little girl covered in blood holding a knife... and the next day the MCs mom has to let someone into the house... and well... they find whatever remains of the two people living in the house. And that is when the story truly starts. I loved this beginning, and I loved how things seemed to settle down at first, but then kicked off even harder and we got more and more gruesomeness, more creepy little kids doing creepy little things.

Yes for real, it is a trope that we see in other books as well. Seemingly cute kids suddenly turn into something different. Something murderous. And like with most books the adults don't believe it when teens or someone tells them that something is wrong, because just look at how adorable these kids are. Plus, they are probably just distracted by the prospect of something (in this case Christmas). It was a bit annoying at times as things were clearly happening and it seemed the people in the town just turned a blind side to it. The kids really got more and more creepy with each passing day. Eventually it just seemed like the only people alive in the town were the 3 teens and the kids. Which was a bit odd, but then the MC also mentioned it and I had a chuckle.

The murders are superduper gruesome and a bit too gore at times for me.

Later on we learn more on what is going on, we see our MC make a plan along with her friend and her sweet girlfriend, try to disable the lights, and then later they even find out something else. Something that had me gasping. Oh my! I would have liked to see that developed some more as I still have questions.

The ending was excited, horrific, scary, but also a bit of a letdown. I get that the book had to end, and on the one hand it was an OK ending, but on the other hand it felt rushed. Which is a shame.

I did like our MC, and I also liked her girlfriend. The other friend was also nice. I loved the bond between the characters and how strong and brave all three of them were.

I did feel sorry for the MC, especially as the story continued and got more and more scary and horrific. Her little brother is also entranced by the lights, and she is noticing quite quickly that he is just not the same and she is afraid of him, but also afraid for her family. Thankfully, she has her girlfriend and her friend who were there for her.

All in all, a great horror book which can be read during Christmas or Halloween, pick a time. Or just read the book again. :P

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Isabella ~Mikku-chan~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full RTC

This was a very thrilling novella, full of creepy events where children acted weird during the Christmas holidays.

I liked the pace and the tone but sometimes some actions throw me off so I can't give 5 out of 5 stars and 4 instead.

This book has not really a HEA, a very lose HFN with the unknown what's awaiting them in the future and that creates tension again. But it actually works for this book.
This book has a FF couple bit it's *not* romance; we see a few kisses & shared touches but if you're looking for a romantic subplot you'll be disappointed - just as a warning.
For me this fits fine & I engrossed with the story.

4 out of 5 stars

[Alyx W. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was...kind of a letdown.

Good scary premise, realistic teen relationship, queer characters trying their best. That's all fine and good.

Unfortunately, most of the plot as written as "3 teenagers run around in circles accomplishing nothing and scaring themselves stupid; trauma is had by all." Nothing is even explained or solidly resolved by the end.

Even the queer stuff isn't as good as I'd hoped. There's a coming out scene that I'm sure was supposed to read as "Everything is going wrong so I didn't want to make a big deal out of it" but which instead comes across as "Don't worry, this isn't important and will change nothing."

The writing didn't particularly impress me either. It was very bland, and the sentences were repetitive in word choice, length--even message. Reading this book felt like trudging through snow just to get to the end of the driveway with nothing to do but turn around.

The potential for scares was present but unfulfilled.

[Owl · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 of 5 stars
Full review to come

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book it's so good

[Melissa Banczak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scary fun

The LED lights are making the kids kill. It’s up to Molly and her friends to stop them. Lots of scary fun.

[aspeccharactersoftheday]

https://aspeccharactersoftheday.tumbl...

[Sarah Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book, i feel like it could've gone more in depth. The ending was pretty open which is good it leaves room for more or for the readers imagination. Overall a pretty good read.

[Anna Welch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great potential! needs more explanation and deeper character development. but good writing and an exciting read. Just needs more development.

[Carrie Pack]

This novella was inspired by my hometown's annual Christmas light display and my personal hatred of the look of LED lights, especially the blue ones. The Lights is an intensely creepy story with elements of classic slashers and paranormal thrillers. Fans of There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins and Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand will enjoy this novella.

[Leigh · Rating 1 out of 5]

An interesting concept plagued by poor development, ordinary writing, and doubtful editing. I nearly gave it a second star for the concept, but I went back to give it a second try, and just couldn’t. When characters express themselves by rolling their eyes—roughly 30 times over the course of a novella (same with furoughing their brows)—it’s time to move on.

[Mikayla🐦 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me everytime Molly, Chelsea, and Brandon made an imperative decision:


IM JUST SO CONFUSED?? For instance, there's a scene where Molly's parents are killed, but we don't actually see it happen it's just assumed. And they decide to just abandon them, which is fine; things are high tension, you're dealing with murderous children and don't wanna take the risk of going to check or try to save them OKAY. But they never go back??? We never read Molly looking into if they are alive or not, she just completely accepts they are dead.
The reactions we get from the characters don't feel authentic to me. I don't know, it just felt like we got a brief but explosive response before it tapered out into something dull and unaffected? I thought Molly's mom mourned more for the neighbor than Molly did her own parents.
I would have also loved to get a better understanding of why the lights were having the effect they did. I did enjoy the concept a lot though, and the relationship between the main trio was so lovely.