A Light Amongst Shadows

Dark is the Night #1

by Kelley York

MP3 CD Format James Spencer is hardly the typical troubled youth who ends up at Whisperwood School for Boys. Instead of hating the strict schedules and tight oversight by staff, James blossoms, quickly making friends, indulging in his love of writing, and contemplating the merits of sneaking love poems to the elusive and aloof William Esher.

The rumors about William's sexuality and opium reliance are prime gossip material amongst the third years . . . rumors that only further pique James' curiosity to uncover what William is really like beneath all that emotional armor. And, when the normally collected William stumbles in one night, shaken and ranting of ghosts, James is the only one who believes him.

James himself has heard the nails dragging down his bedroom door and the sobs echoing in the halls at night. He knows others have, too, even if no one will admit it. The staff refuses to entertain such ridiculous tales, and punishment awaits anyone who brings it up.

Their fervent denial and the disappearance of students only furthers James' determination to find out what secrets Whisperwood is hiding . . . especially if it prevents William and himself from becoming the next victims.

Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy, Historical, Young Adult, LGBT, Mystery, Historical Fiction

1 pages, Audio CD

First published June 1, 2018

About the author

Kelley resides off the coast of Northern California with her wife, dogs, cats, and birds. In addition to writing, she has her A.S. in Anthropology, and is a graphic designer with a successful book cover design business called Sleepy Fox Studio. She spends her spare time playing video games and tabletop games like the nerd she is. Her specialty is LGBT+ fiction, usually with a dark twist.

Reviews

[♥ a r o a ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐ ❝ Fire is the voice of God, speaking in tongues❞

Maybe readers wonder why I've chosen this quote by Thomas Lloyd Qualls 👆🏼 Despite of not being a person specially devotee, A Light Amongst Shadows, written by Kelley York and Rowan Altwood, is sustained over religious symbology.This feature is not stuff about which we must be surprised, even more when we're across a ghost story 👻

❛Fire❜ is the main element whose connotation connects God's heaven with otherworldly creatures, the unearthy, the Hell itself 💀 ❝ Fire is the iluminator , the protector , the destroyer , and the giver of all life❞ keeps saying Thomas Lloyd Qualls 🔥 I'll write my review around this latter statement and I'd try to explain why I think that this novel is perfectly well inserted into fire's symbology, closely joined to religious topics. Literature can be analyzed by different ways, so here we go:

◾ A Light Amongst Shadows is the first instalment of ❛Dark is the Night❜, a ghost story starred by James Spencer, a younger newly enrolled at Whisperwood School for Boys who brings a ❛luggage❜ plenty of mysterious secrets about his past. Quickly and easily he adapts to his new life at Whisperwood. His lively personality helps him to make friends, amongst which stands out, Oscar, who is also his dorm mate ❥ But will be ❛dear❜ William who arouses James' love interest. Their first meet couldn`t be more perfect ♥ I described it as ❛A meet amongst books❜ 📜 making a parallelism based on the title of the novel:

↬ ❝«If thou must love me, let it be for nought/ Except for love's sake only» William marks the page he's on [...] and closes the book [he] rolls his gaze up to watch over the top of his glasses. He has remarkably long lashes❞

William is such a cutie pie and James is the real knight in shining armor that everyone desire. William has to deal with difficulties caused by an anxiety disorder which force him to use laudanum in order to compose himself ❤️‍🩹 James takes up to the surface all the good things which are hidden William's cold façade, who was use to be a lonely student exclusively engrossed in books and his studies, because rumours about his sexuality and opium reliance are object of mockery amongst the rest of Whisperwood's students.

When our ❛dear❜ William is attacked by a ❛ghost❜ 👻, the rest of dorm mates mocked him, but James believed him without hesitation. From the beggining of his stay at Whisperwood, he had to deal with stranger noises from the hallways, which entailed sobings boys and what sounded like a chain dragged over the floor ⛓️ Events which made him to inquire his friends about them, but being rejected every time he asked. Only William seems to be in sync with him and, unfortunatelly, their suspictions come true at Christmas dance party 🎈 🎄, where they look at one of the creepiest scenes ever written: ❝If I'm late to class, he'll punish me❞ 💀

I was pretty disturbed by the ghost of a former student walking into the woods speaking about homeworks like a broken record 🤯 From this moment, our boys must face the mysterys around Whisperwood and the disappearance of Oscar, who was having issues with the headmaster 🐍 This boarding school has tunnels below it―the same that happens in ❛The Boarding School❜, an amazing Spanish TV show which was a hit early 2000s and was starred by a younger Ana de Armas―where are hidden all the screts behind the mysterious deaths of the former students. James fears the possibility that Oscar has suffered the same destiny as those deceased boys, so he embarks on a quest to save his bestfriend, but not without the help of ❛dear❜ William ❥

◾ Before taking my time analyzing the symbolism of the fire, I have to stand out our sweet Oscar, because he deserves it. It's been a long time since I truly get emotional while reading a novel  💔 I always want to be honest about my feelings, specially when we talk about literature ❥ My eyes got blurry when I read the letter written by Oscar 💌: ❝[...] you have my respect and my love. And all my heart❞ ❣️ I really need an AU where he gets all the things he set out to do throughout his life and I only hope that his special person felt the same about him for their bonding moments.

◾ How is the fire involved in all of this? Proceed with caution because there will be mild spoilers ⚠️

► James' heavy luggage ❥

He hides a painful past  which entails to being assaulted by his own uncle 💔 My brain explode at the sight of him dealing with the shittiest shit 🤬 and being still capable of pretending to be his most cheerful self in order to please his friends. He took the decision of burning his own house with all his family inside where also lived his evil uncle 👿 This way we see how the fire is used in order to refine people's souls, the following Malachi 3:2's quoute serves as an example:

↬ ❝But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap❞

James tried to destroy his uncle at the same time he was erasing what he consider as impurity, after all the suffering lived with his family, mainly his uncle 🧨

► ❛Ghostbusters❜ manners ❥

↬ ❝ Fire is the illuminator, the protector, the destroyer❞

I quoted the previous statement before 🔥 When our boys have to face off the main ❛ghost❜―which I described as a crawler, creatures which prowds around shadown in The Descent, a British horror film, and I also made a joke about Gollum leaving the regular cast of The Lord of the Rings―, they must use fire in order to keep the creature at bay―❛illuminating❜ their way through the tunnels and ❛protecting❜ their lifes at the same time―, because it only can catch them into the shadows 💀 The same way happen when we talk about getting rid of this ❛demon❜ forever, only burning the corpse ⚰️ our crew can disipate all the bad things which were happening at Whisperwood from its founding as school:

↬ ❝ Fire is the memory of stone, being released to the heavens❞

This is the way Thomas Lloyd Qualls' quote continues and it is closely tethered to the method our boys used to save the anguished spirits of former students ❥

► James and William's love story 💌 

↬ ❝I cannot see beyond the pain [...] until the moment wherein the door splinters wide open and the room floods with the most brilliant light amongst the shadows❞ ✨

This quote my last update of this book, and, the same way I previously said It's pretty nice when the main tittle is displayed so blatantly and everything makes sense into our minds ❥ ❛Light❜ here is created by ❛fire❜, so the readers can see how this element appears in the title itself 🤯 William is who enters into the room where James is being tortured by our personal Gollum and saves him his mere appearance. We can quote again Thomas Lloyd Qualls:

↬ ❝ Fire is the seducer of wind, dancing in abandon for its beloved❞

Statement which reminds me of:

↬ ❝ [...] I wont be able to ask you for a dance [...] That may be call for expulsion. Quite a shame❞ ► ❝A shame indeed. I enjoy dancing, and I think I would especially enjoy dancing with you❞ ► ❝Ask nicely and perhaps you'll get a dance in private❞

They're the cutest and I have to surrender to them and their perfect chemistry ❤️‍🔥  Hand in hand, the strongest couple against all odds, despite of a little break up which was bound to happen because James hid his painful background for a long time and Pandora's box needed to be opened anytime for him to face it off, but sadly it exploded 💥💣 before James could gather his thoughts in order to take action.

◾ Definitely, it was a complex book, plenty of tropes I deeply love between them I could stand out that this is an horror tale with a heavy supernatural element: undead boys who reminds me of Toshio, the little kid from Ju-On―❛The Grudge❜ franchise―, and they are so frightening! 💀 Specially the one who blessed us by kicking Simmons' ass, for our sake! 🥊

My five stars are well-deserved  🌟

[Teru · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a pleasant surprise this little gem was! Why didn't I read this sooner? 😳

I don't tend to read much YA nowadays, but this story caught my attention from the first page. James Spencer is a new addition to Whisperwood, the public boarding school for boys (sorry - for gentlemen, because this is historical and the posh language very much reflects that 🤭 I loved that, even though said gentlemen were mostly seventeen years old and it left me giggling), and very soon, he realises something is amiss. Cue some truly delicious spookiness that may or may not involve ghosts of previous students who had died at the school, possibly under mysterious circumstances. Not only that, there's also a certain student named William who caught James's eye, and he's determined to get close to this seemingly shy, introverted boy 😳

Surprisingly (for me), I loved both James and William and their budding relationship. Did it develop quickly for my tastes? Kinda. Did it lessen my enjoyment? Not this time! I loved the sweetness of it all - the cheeky flirting, stealing looks and smiles and fleeting touches so no one catches them 🥰 And while their growing closeness was adorable, both boys have dark secrets they aren't willing to divulge right away just because they happen to fancy each other. Very much appreciated!

As the book is written from James's POV, and he's the outgoing, friendly, and flirty one, I was afraid I wouldn't connect with him. I shouldn't have worried, I went from simply liking him to feeling like a protective mama bear with a snap 😩 He's hiding a well of depth that completely endeared him to me, dealing with so much pain and not letting anyone see it because he's accustomed to keeping his "everything's fine" charade.

So, the vibes, those were impeccable ❤️ Perfect for an autumn/winter read. And you know what, it reminded me of "The Spirit Bares Its Teeth" a liiittle bit 👀

I admit I even wanted to cry at times - and couldn't because those parts were read on the bus 😅 It's safe to say, all the emotions were conveyed and I felt them, good and bad. Beware of some TWs, mainly SA (off-page and in the past) and drug addiction.

And finally - JUSTICE FOR MY BOY!! (iykyk) 😭😭😭

I won't be reading the second book following James and William, I love where this ended, and I know some troubles are waiting for them (not only) relationship-wise. Not interested in reading about that in the least, thank you very much ✋ But I'm very much interested in Benji and Preston 😳

[Meags · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

A Light Amongst Shadows is a dark-academia, YA historical story, with two queer boys at its centre, who find themselves scrambling to solve one hell of a ghostly mystery while falling in love at their (definitely haunted) all-boys boarding school.

This story hit ALL the right notes, in terms of writing, plot, characters and tone. And to do the whole thing while blending multiple genres and making it WORK!? So very impressive for co-authors York and Altwood.

Here’s a list of some of the things that made this story a standout for me:

☆ Great main characters. New student James Spencer and outcast addict William Esher were compelling, complex leads, both with troubled pasts and ongoing emotional issues that grounded them as realistic in a very supernaturally charged story.

☆ Historically immersive. The whole story had this very atmospheric, entrancing tone. Without being overly descriptive with the prose, the authors were able to create a very real sense of person, time, and place for this gothic-inspired all-boys school and its inhabitants (alive and dead).

☆ Captivating mystery. I was fully invested in finding out what happened to James’s missing roommate, Oscar, who the author’s managed to make me deeply care for in the very limited time he had on page before his mysterious disappearance. I read (and watch) a lot of mysteries and thrillers, but even I was scrambling to work out the whodunnit of it all, which always makes a book of this kind instantly more impressive to me.

☆ Satisfactorily spooky. This may have had a love story at its centre, but it was also downright scary at times, with the ghostly elements of the story keeping the characters (and me as a reader) thoroughly on-edge, as James and William tried to solve the mystery of the missing students in increasingly dangerous circumstances.

☆ Fantastic ensemble. I cared a great deal for James and William as the story unfolded, but I also found myself caring about their friends and even some of their teachers to a degree that I was seriously anxious about the survival of all, especially in the face of the progressively life-threatening situations they faced as they got closer to the truth.

☆ Emotionally compelling. Because I cared about the characters, I was emotionally invested in a very real way. My heart raced and even skipped during several charged scenes, and I definitely shed tears on more than one occasion, so overcome was I by what was revealed, especially in relation to James’s past trauma and William’s substance abuse problems but also in the gut-punch conclusion of the mystery at hand and what it meant for Oscar.

☆ Sweetly romantic. The love story between James and William was very natural and pleasantly unencumbered by societal standards of the time. Yes, they had to be careful to hid the truth of their relationship on a wider scale, but I also appreciated how they both just went for it, in terms of embracing their feelings and opportunities to be together, thankfully surrounded by a lot of very supportive fellow students/friends, who became a sort of found family to these dear boys, when their biological families had failed them so exceptionally.

And one more for the audio listeners out there.

☆ Exceptional narration. If you’re an audiobook listener of any kind, this is one not to be missed. Superbly performed and brought to life by Kale Williams, what is already a fantastic story was elevated to new heights and became an instant favourite audio for me.

If even one or two of the above bullet points intrigue you, I think you’ll do just fine with this story. It’s definitely the most underrated queer YA gem I’ve read this year and I can only hope it finds more readers to fall in love with it the way I have.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED <3

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read June 2023

I absolutely love the audio of this.

----------------------------------------------

4.25 stars

Forget about the whole ‘ghosts can’t hurt you’ theory! These ghosts are angry, and they can kill…

James Spencer is 17 and has been sent to an all-boys school by his parents to finish school. This school is mostly for troubled or unwanted teenage boys, so everyone has a back story that’s awfully sad.

From the moment James has arrived, he hears noises at night. Crying, whispering, floors creaking. But everyone seems to dismiss his concerns.

Luckily James has other things on his mind than ghosts at night. He is kind of loving the school so far. Yes, it is strict, but he has made some good friends, he gets his schoolwork done in time, and they get to play rugby out on the field. Also when James spots a beautiful boy in his classes, he feels he’s on top of the world.

James doesn’t know how to talk to the beautiful William, but since he has heard rumors why William is there, he is hopeful his flirting will be welcome.

But William is hesitant about James at first. William doesn’t seem to have any friends, and James gets why he would be suspicious of anyone suddenly trying to befriend him.

While James and William grow closer and become friends, James is not only hearing things at night now, but seeing real ghosts as well. He tries to talk to his friend and roommate Oscar about it, but Oscar seems to be having some problems of his own.

When Oscar suddenly disappears James knows he has to figure out what’s going on at Whisperwood School….

I’ve been reading lots of ghost stories lately. I used to read horror and I will always love a good creepy book. But…. a ghost book in the romance genre tends to be creepy, but not really scary. This book was! Of course I was home alone while reading this with a heavy storm outside. Perfect for the scare factor.

The ghosts in this were very scary, and I actually loved the fact that they were dangerous, not just there to scare people, but they could hurt as well. And they did..

But this was more than a ghost story, there were some evil humans as well. And with the whole institute for boys as its background, the whole atmosphere was wonderfully creepy. What kind of evil was really going on in this school?

And now of course we come to the romance. The romance was wonderful and sweet and tender and intense. I loved James and William together. I thought they were both wonderfully portrayed for the time they were living in. Yes, they had to be very careful not to be found out, but that was more because of the rules and the headmaster than the whole gay thing. James was always making jokes to his friend, but he didn’t hide. And because of how he acted, it was like people were confused enough (was he joking or not?) to accept him (being gay) anyway.

There is no heat factor in this, but don’t worry, it totally fit the story. There was something in James’ past that prevented him from jumping into bed with William (only to sleep). And these boys were so busy with all the ghosts and the evil headmaster that they didn’t have that much time to do stuff anyway. But they do spend a lot of time together. There is room for romance, don’t worry. I could feel the attraction from the start and even though James had an unconventional way of courting someone, William did indeed fall for his charms.

What is also worth mentioning is how great the other boys were. They didn’t play a huge role at first and for most of the book it’s mostly James and William, but once we got to the last part, people were starting to get involved and supported James and William unexpectedly. I loved that. It felt like this big finale when people suddenly all band together. I’m such a sucker for those kinds of scenes.

So if you’re into ghost stories, with a lovely romance at an all-boys school, try this. Just know, it’s quite scary.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars ...

Re-read as audiobook: Sept. '25

[Evie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ATE THESE VIBES UP LIKE A THREE COURSE MEAL.

Set around the 1870s, following a troubling incident at home, James Spencer is sent to the Whisperwood School for Boys. Where, away from the threat of the responsibilities at home, he quickly starts to flourish, finding friends, stability and a keen interest in the pretty but shy William Esher. Its not long however, until James starts to notice some suspicious occurrences at Whisperwood that everyone seems reluctant to acknowledge and the signs that Whisperwood might be home to some very restless spirits.

If there ever comes a day where I don't love a queer historical romance with a paranormal mystery element to it then just put me out of my misery cause I have obviously lost my joy in life.

I enjoyed James as a protagonist, he had a very carefree nature and loyalty to his friends that made him an easy protagonist to care for. I thought William was a slightly more nuanced character however and worked well as a balance for James. William is one of those characters who comes off as shy and reserved, however has this core of quiet strength and resolve where he was still quite assertive which I really enjoyed.

I thought that the romantic subplot between James and William was incredibly sweet. The development of their relationship was not a source drama for the story and they really found in each other a connection of kindred spirits and companionship. Whilst the era specific homophobia was acknowledged in the narrative it really held very little weight or consequence to the story and didn't cause the boys to hesitate for a moment. It is worth noting that this is fade to black, so maybe not the book to look to if you're feeling something spicy.

I considered not mentioning that this book technically is YA because I think it will cause some people to skip over it for that fact alone and given that this doesn't at all read like YA, nor have a lot of the narrative themes which are generally present in YA, it would be a missed opportunity to write it off based on that alone.

I listened to this by audiobook and thought that Kale Williams did a fantastic job narrating it and bringing some vibrancy to this story. I can't tell you how disappointed I was to see that the narrator for book two changes to one that I unfortunately can't handle so I'll be continuing by ebook ❤️

I landed on 4.5 stars in the end. This was such a fun and atmospheric haunted school story with high stakes, mystery and some genuinely spooky imagery. My only desire is that I wish a bit more substance was given to the content of the mystery cause I would have loved a little more meat there but even as it is, just a delightful spooky time.












✨✨✨Slight spoilers in the content warnings for those who need them. ✨✨



This book includes descriptions of torture of children, historical off page sexual assault, off page coercive noncon and drug addiction.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only picked this one up now because it won’t be included on audible for much longer and I had fomo - but wow, am I glad I did!

The vibes here were absolutely ✨immaculate✨. Set in a school for ‘difficult’ boys in the 1870s, this had all the dark academia elements I love: secrets everywhere, boys who call each other gentlemen and battle each other through dramatic poetry recitations, dusty libraries, and the ever-present sense that something is lurking just out of sight. The atmosphere was so vivid and immersive, I felt like I’d been dropped right into those shadowed hallways myself.

From the start, I was completely hooked by the layers of secrets and the subtle creepiness building in the background. And yes, I was genuinely spooked by the ghosts. 😳

Kale Williams’ masterful narration really elevated those moments - the way he voiced the ghosts sent actual shivers down my spine.

But despite the hauntings, it never became too frightening. The overall tone stayed more on the almost cozy, atmospheric side of dark academia rather than leaning fully into horror. I loved that we got these little ‘spook breaks’ where the absolutely lovely William and James could shine in all their tenderness. Their quiet, gentle bond brought so much warmth to the story and balanced the eerie elements perfectly.

If I have one small complaint, it’s the ending. The how and why of the villains’ actions felt a little underdeveloped, and the last 10% seemed somewhat rushed. I’d have loved to spend more time seeing how William and James recovered after that climax and how their relationship grew once things settled down.

Still, this was such a gorgeously atmospheric, unique, and memorable listen!

[Amina · Rating 5 out of 5]

✰ 5 stars ✰

"If everything goes wrong, if everything ends horribly, if this is the last day I spend in this school or on this earth, I want to go out remembering this. Us. Just as we are, and how I’ve found at least one perfect thing in my life."



I love mysteries! I absolutely adore them, love the thrill of unraveling the secrets with the protagonists, uncovering the truths behind the secrets and lies! And A Light Among Shadows is a dark academia historical gothic romance with gay characters? How could I not resist? And also, last year I read Suicide Watch by Kelley York, which was a five star read for me. So, I was pretty hopeful that I would not be disappointed - and I am so happy that I wasn't!

When he's seventeen years old, James Spencer is enrolled in Whisperwood School for Boys, a public school where troubled teens and abandoned misfits are sent. When he arrives, his roommate, Oscar, instantly welcomes him with open arms and genuine kindness that James so desperately needed to have. At night, though, he starts hearing strange noises and unsettling whispers that rattle him - but no one seems to take it seriously, dismissing it as newcomer jitters. But, as they continue, he also is drawn to the elusive and reclusive William, a classmate that everyone warns him to stay away from. But, James is drawn to him, his beauty, and his quietness. They slowly grow closer and when Oscar, his dear roommate and best friend, suddenly disappears, James and William get caught up in unraveling the dark and troubling mysteries haunting Whisperwood School...

This is so much more than a ghost story - it is a beautiful tender love story of two boys who just needed to have someone in their life who cared about them, to let them know that they mattered. I adored the hell out of James and William's relationship - it blossomed so beautifully and naturally! Ah, the poetry allusions were such a lovely flirtation move, I was blushing furiously at some of them and at how suave and just confident James was, and still being such a hopeless smitten fool. How he wanted to bring William out of the shadows, how he was immediately drawn to him. 💕💕

Everything was so natural - the progression of the story was flowing at such a beautiful and perfect pace, that as a reader you get swept away in not only unraveling the mystery behind the ghosts' presence, Oscar's strange disappearance, while all the while seeing two boys fondness for each other develop into such an intimate and caring relationship. It was so real - so raw with feeling, I was so in love with the two of them! And yes, it is very much a YA book so not that much spice in the romance department, but uff, their dialogues with each other had me -- 😍😍



- “Me, run out of love poetry? Perish the thought.”

“Do you make it a point to recite love poetry to all of your friends?”

“Only you.”

“Why is that?”

“Because you like it. And because I want to make you truly smile; it would be quite lovely to see, I think.”


- "I love you," he whispers against my lips. "You know that, don’t you?”

Oh, the way my heart stumbles over a beat. “Do you?”

“With all my heart,” he says, and I wish he would smile at me like that forever. “You and I, we are going to solve all of this, leave this miserable school, and spend the rest of our lives getting to wake up beside each other.”

I gaze at him adoringly. This ridiculous man never ceases to amaze me with the things he says and does. I push myself up, pressing William back onto the bed, leaning over him and bowing down to kiss him solidly.

"I love you," I murmur. "More than I can begin to say, my darling William."

And the supporting cast of friends too - there was such an intense sense of camaraderie and respect, they didn't waver nor hesitate to offer their assistance, to be involved but without pushing, just showing James that they cared, too and wanted to help find out the truth about their friend, Oscar. *clutches heart* Oscar, you precious human - from the moment you appeared on the page, my heart was drawn to you. 💔💔💔 You had all the kindness and caring that James so very much needed to be accepted, and it showed at how he never wavered in the face of danger. I'm so sorry for what happened to you - you didn't deserve it, none of the boys did, and I'm so happy that James and co. brought the wrongdoers to an end - even if, as James felt, it wasn't entirely justified.

Honestly, James Spencer, you really couldn't help but fall in love with him! Whispering poems into William's ear, not even being subtle with his terms of endearment to William, openly addressing as "sweetheart" and "darling", not giving a damn anymore of what people would think! *cackles*

"A smile pulls at my mouth, and I reach out to rest a hand atop one of his. To hell with who bears witness to it. If they don’t know there lingers something between William and I by now, then they’re utterly blind."

He had such a kind caring heart, he genuinely felt so strongly, his loyalty, I admired him so much. The love he had for William and Oscar - my heart just broke at how determined he was - not only to help William with his own personal issues, but to also find a way to help Oscar with whatever was troubling him, so much so that he couldn't even share it with him.

But alas, I have to throw in that one pet peeve of mine that always - always influences my rating. *sigh* I did read the Author's Note, so I do commend them on being as historically faithful to early 19th century as possible, while also keeping the tone similar to a British one rather than an American one.. So, I ask you this - were words like 'fucking' and 'shit' common back then? Because, that just threw me off so much, I try so hard not to let little things like this affect me so, but I can't help it! 😭😭😭 But, honestly, this is really just me as a reader - I'm sure it's not bothersome to others. 🥺

And also, don't be fooled! There is definitely a fair share of ghosts with their haunting whispers and gruesome attacks that are both chilling and painful and quite scary, too! It is dark and mysterious and I loved that the authors didn't hold back to really let the fear creep in, because it was integral to the storyline! That dreary spooky suspenseful feeling was a unique counterbalance to the romance, but it also served to push their relationship even further!

And did I do a little happy dance at the end when the author's mentioned that their story would continue in a series!! So so happy - I mean, this ending was - my eyes were sparkling with happiness, a beautiful nod to their precious love. 🥹🥹 💕

“This could be ours, dear William. We could make it work. Would a poem further convince you?”

“Maybe, maybe not, but I would enjoy seeing you try.”

He chuckles, bows his head to my ear, and he murmurs to me like a hymn that sends a shiver down my spine:

“Come.
Home.”

Two simple words, and I should think it ridiculous a poem exists such as that, and yet I don’t question him on it. Two simple words, and I close my eyes with a smile.

“Darling, I am home.”

👏💞👏💞

[Snjez · Rating 2 out of 5]

This took me a bit longer to finish than usual.

The audiobook was fantastic. I would give the narrator 5 stars. This was my first time listening to an audio narrated by Kale Williams and he really did a great job.

James and William were lovely characters, but for some reason the story didn't grab me as much as I thought it would.

[anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

rep: gay mc, bi li with depression

ARC provided by the author.

3.5 ☆

There are three main points one has to make about A Light Amongst Shadows, when describing it: 1) it's historical fiction, 2) it's a ghost story & 3) it's gay. Now, for me personally, that was already enough to make me wanna read the book. So I'm easy to entertain, so what.

The whole things takes place at a boarding school for boys and it's a very creepy one right from the start. Which is great because this is ultimately a ghost story & building up the atmosphere is a key component of that, isn't it. So we hear murmurs about stories but no one in the whole school is willing to tell the actual stories, we get weird sightings & even weirder disappearances… Overall what we get is an ever-present feeling of something being very, very Wrong™, a slowly unraveling mystery of ghosts & death. And James & the boy he's starting to like are thrown in the middle of that.

Because yes, the romance is a very big & important arc in this story. James is basically a walking, talking Gay Disaster. His idea of subtle flirting is reciting love poetry to a boy he fancies & has NEVER spoken to before… The relationship isn't just some added footnote that makes no sense, either. No, being gay is an integral part of James as a person and it's always there, in every single thing he says and does. It never feels like the romance is somehow apart from the general plot, like it runs its own course despite everything else that's happening. Instead, the romance & the paranormal puzzle are woven perfectly together and the balance between them is honestly superb. And the relationship evolves in such a slow, beautiful and - most importantly - natural way. Give me more of that!!

I would recommend A Light Amongst Shadows to anyone who likes soft boys falling in love and also ghosts. Please don’t forget this is a ghost story and a creepy & sometimes honestly gruesome one at that. So maybe don’t read it in the middle of the night like I have…

(tw some homophobia, drugs, torture, blood, death, mentions of past rape)

[Cat the bookworm (semi hiatus ish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spooky ya/mm murder mystery that had me sitting at the edge of my seat 😱

First of all: get the audiobook. It’s Kale Williams. And whatever Kale narrates gets alive in your head.

On the other hand - maybe don’t, and then you won’t wake up in the middle of the night because you’re so engrossed in a story where ghosts can (and occasionally will) harm you 😂

But I digress. The book starts easy enough: it’s set in the 1860s, with James, a 17yo, arriving at a public school. The book is told from his pov, and we gather that his family sent him away for some mysterious reason, and that this school is his “last chance”.

There, he meets all kind of different boys, and befriends Oscar, his sunny, friendly roommate. Pretty soon, he starts to notice another boy who sits apart from everybody else - William, who - according do rumours- killed his parents, or was caught making out with another man. Or both.

James is instantly attracted to William, and they form a tentative friendship.

Soon enough, James realises that not everything is as it seems - there’s the evil headmaster whom everyone is afraid of. And at night, there are sounds, weeping, sighs, and movements he only ever sees from the corner of his eyes.

You, as a reader, start having an uneasy feeling. And that unease grows, and gets worse and worse throughout the book. And when Oscar disappears one night, James vows to find out what happened to his best friend.

Ok, so I admit, I might be susceptible to all things ghostly, and that might be a reason why I soon started chewing off my nails when, chapter by chapter, things got spookier and more dangerous. But I think it would be hard even for the jaded sceptics among you to NOT be drawn into this murder mystery. On top of that, we get a tender and beautiful romance between James and William (no smut though, but I didn’t miss it).

All in all a really well done, old fashioned spooky story in a gothic setting (including old, musty corridors and graveyards, and ofc A LOT of ghosts).

4.5 stars rounded up - I’ll definitely continue with this series once my poor heart can deal with the scary stuff again 🤣

[Megan [At The Cottage] · Rating 5 out of 5]

MM Romance
Spoooooky
5 Stars ⭐️

🎧Included with my Audible Plus subscription🎧
🎵Narrated by Kale Williams🎵 Sooo I’ve listened to this narrator before on lots of things but this was next level. I had no idea he could do accents and he made this book really hard to put down and super spooky. Loved it. I am super sad though that this has a second book and the narrator switched to Joel Leslie 😭😭😭 Not only do I hate the switching of narrators midway through a series but why JL out of everyone? I know people love him but I am not one of them. ☹️


I finally finished a full length book! So I appear to be on a bit of a historical kick which is weird because I usually avoid this genre thinking I won’t enjoy it. Obviously I’m a clown 🤡 because they are the only books I’ve really liked recently so why have I been avoiding them?? 🤡🤡 This reads as a coming of age book as it’s technically YA and I loved it. The relationship between James and William was so beautiful despite everything else around them being absolutely fucked. I am a sucker for a spooky boarding school in the middle of nowhere and the fact this had actual ghosts, murder and paranormal activity happening made the setting even better. It’s one of those books where the setting actually feels like a living thing. Like an alive, breathing, scary entity of its own and it made this book sing.

I’d totally be picking up the next book but ugh Joel Leslie. I’m even more curious about book 3 since it’s two of the side characters from this one but once again, UGH Joel Leslie 😭😭 I could try and read them I guess but Kale Williams breathed so much life into this story that I feel like it’s going to be lacking without his narration. Despite that, this book can be read as a stand-alone and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an actual romance with hand holding, innocent touches and lots of hurt/comfort. There are no sex scenes and I didn’t miss them at all.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pleasantly spooky, historical ghost story set in a boys boarding school in the 1800’s. Very sweet couple, no major drama in their relationship, the focus here is on the mystery - paranormal activity at the school.

Solid writing. Would have loved some more meat to the mystery or maybe just for the main climatic scenes to happen earlier - things felt a bit rushed into the final 15%.

Wonderful narration by Kale Williams - it changes in book 2 to Joel Leslie. I’m sure he is a lovely guy and all but his voice and my ears are just not compatible.

Low spice/fade to black sex scenes.

TW for mention of childhood sexual assault and current opiate dependence as well as teenagers being abused at school.

[Faye* · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

I really enjoy a good boarding school mystery and the romance was the SO SWEET and fun.
I'm not a big fan of the resolution, though, and the ending wasn't really satisfying to me (too many open questions), so that's why I took off that 1.25 stars.

[Kelley York · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book means so, so much to me. I'm always sick with nerves when I send a new story out into the world, and I try not to pick favorites, but let's face it... James and William are, to date, the story I'm most proud of and the closest to my heart.

If you want to keep up on updates, behind-the-scenes info,teasers for upcoming books, and other fun stuff, come join my group on FB and hang out with us:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/kelle...

If you want to check out the book's playlist, fanart, and more, the series has its own page on my site:
https://www.kelley-york.com/dark-is-t...

[jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

precious baby boys


read as part of 202-Queer 🌈✨

[Kaje Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this YA paranormal dark (but not intense) historical mystery romance, enough that I immediately bought and read the sequels.

James has been exiled to a remote residential boys' school, where a variety of teen boys with difficult histories are brought together for supervision, rehabilitation, and education. The reason for James's banishment from his family is gradually revealed, but he has a naturally resilient spirit and is determined to make the best of the situation. The school is at first not bad. The teachers range from strict to boring to helpful, his roommate is kind and fun, and there's a mysterious attractive boy, William, who sits alone reading books. William seems like someone who might appreciate James's own interest in poetry, and maybe more. James is sad to be unwelcome at home, but he anticipates getting along all right.

But the school is also whispered to be haunted, and James hears crying and sounds in the night that keep him awake and tempt him to investigate. And over time his friendly roommate becomes more withdrawn and sad. Although James's developing relationship with William is a light to his days, something is clearly not right. James is determined to find out what.

There are dark plot points in this story (trigger warnings for abuse history, past and present violence, drug addiction, death of a character). But the tone is matter-of-fact rather than emotional, and James's own positive nature keeps the angst level lower than it might be. The story leans more toward mystery and adventure than the pain inherent in the things the characters have faced and are dealing with. The plot worked well, and the ending is a HFN for the developing relationship of these two young men.

[Stephanie Lake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not normally read YA, but I am so glad I took a chance with this book. I am sooo in love with both James and William.

The characters and scenery are very real and I feel I’m in the room with them. And I love them!

Kelley and Rowan weave a marvelous gothic tale with fully developed characters and scenery. I will definitely read the rest of their books.

[Trisha Harrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have so many thoughts about this book, so many that I could write one long ramble that wouldn't really be a review and might confuse people or give away way too many spoilers about this book. It's been a couple of weeks since I finished. I started reading one night and read a chapter or a few pages, I forget which now, and I put it down because it was late and I needed to be awake early the next morning. I thought I would be able to read a chapter or two or night or while waiting for my tutors in class. But the next night I picked it up, I didn't put my kindle down until after midnight and the book was finished.

If you like Ghost stories, especially historical ghost stores and you like YA and romance, this is going to be a book you'll love. A Light Amongst Shadows is hands down my new favourite mm ghost story or ghost story in general. It had the right blend of ghostly paranormal with romance and mystery woven into the story to keep it gripping, while giving me warm and fuzzies and all the feels. Oh, there are feels in this book alright. I won't spoil when I got the feels or why or what character gave me all the feels. But OH MY GOD. I could not get over it. I was not ready. I had so much hope and that hope was dashed and I wanted to kill people for dashing my hope. How could you do that to me?

Anyhoo... characters. I loved James and William. I loved their developing relationship. Some other characters, one in particular, I liked instantly. Others took a while or I was unsure about. And then there were the characters you're supposed to hate and hate I did, I cheered near the end because of one of those characters.

This book also had the creepy factor that I love about a ghost story. Lots of people don't get it right, they try too hard and overload the story with scary or it's simply not scary. The authors wrote this book to have that creepy feel, without overwhelming anyone by putting too much in, or making it eye roll worthy. If you're like me and don't scare easily, this won't do it either, it's not that kind of story.

To sum up, this is a wonderful book that left me wanting the next book in the series ASAP. Oh right, I didn't mention this is the first in a series. Well, it is and I really hope we get the next book soon because I cannot wait to see where James and William go next.

ARC provided by the authors in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Trio · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a unique and interesting mystery. I like the way the story unfolds, with James making friends and generally getting acclimated to his new life. The shady goings on at the school start to add up and James just can't let it go.

This is a pretty dark and scary book, and the narrator, Kale Williams does a nice job with it. There are a wide variety of characters here, and I don't think I've ever heard Kale Williams do so many different British accents before.

[charlotte, · Rating 4 out of 5]

The school bells chime as they have every day before, but the sun seems a little brighter when I wake to it shining upon William’s face.

ARC kindly provided by Kelley York

Rep: gay mc, bi li with depression

Content Warnings: discussion of past CSA, drug abuse, torture, murder

I know it's only April and this is likely going to be a bold statement, but I'm going to open up this review by declaring that this is probably one of the best books I'll read all year, if not the best book. That being said, I still don't know how I'm supposed to review it. I swear, the more I like a book the harder I find it to review, and I really really liked this one, so I'm finding it near impossible to review.

Firstly, I'm going to start with the plot. The plot in this book is the perfect mix of romance and mystery. Sometimes, I feel like plot kind of gets shunted to the side in favour of romance, or it's forced into such a slowburn nothing happens for 75% of the book, and everything in the last 25%, and I get bored. This book has the perfect balance of all that, keeping the mystery and paranormal side of things moving, while still developing the romance. (As a side note, the paranormal aspect scared the absolute shit out of me, so that's a good sign. But equally, that could be because I'm so easily scared. Did I ever tell you about the time I couldn't look in a mirror in the dark for at least a week after watching episode 1x06 of Supernatural (the Bloody Mary episode)? So, yeah.)

Secondly, the characters. I loved each and every one of the main characters (that I was supposed to, obviously. I wanted the rest of them to burn in hell, but. Y'know), especially James and William, but an honourable mention goes to Oscar (*sobs*). James was by far my favourite though. I particularly liked how his attempts at being discrete involved reciting love sonnets to William in the middle of a crowded hallway. Congrats James, no one's ever going to realise you're into William like That. Also, special mention to how he completely just gives up trying to be discrete right at the end and goes around calling William 'darling' and 'sweetheart' in front of all his friends. James is the prototypical Disaster Gay.

Finally... well, yeah. I don't have anything more to say than this really. I loved the plot and the characters and the romance, and just the whole entire book. If there's one 2018 release you definitely need to read this year (and, let's be real, that's an understatement, I know), it's this.

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was quite a nice book that I enjoyed even though I'm not really the target audience for this.

Reason 1: It's YA.
Reason 2: I am a wimp.

This novel is set at a boarding school for boys whose families either don't want them or can't handle them. James, 17, arrives at the start of 3rd year and quickly finds a group of friends. He's intrigued by William and on hearing rumours about his sexuality, decides to court him. James is an outgoing flirt and William an introvert and outcast, shunned by the other boys. But James is also a poetry afficionado, a boy who spent the bulk of his chilhood alone, and it turns out they have more in common than it first seems. Oh my word, the courting and poetry was so cheesy it actually seemed realistic and reminded me horribly of quoting song lyrics as a teen.

So this starts off quite light, but it doesn't take long until James is confronted with the paranormal reality of the school, which everyone tries to deny. We also slowly learn more about the characters, and for a YA book it confronts some very difficult themes and was a lot darker than I thought it would be.

I listened to this on audio, and CWs do sometimes get skipped on audio, but I wasn't expecting sexual abuse (recounted in limited detail), death of a side character, addiction (drugs), corporal punishment, torture.

Overall, I found it well-paced, with a convincing climax and more than enough character development to keep me interested along the way.

The hurt/comfort was really nice, William and James each support the other through emotionally and physically difficult times, and I thought their bond was very believable. The overall themes of acceptance and found family were very touching.

Coming briefly back to my reason 2: I don't like scary stuff. Most people would probably consider this spooky at best, but I had to avoid listening to it before bed from about 50% onwards. I wouldn't say it decreased my enjoyment of the book, just that it puts me a bit on edge. Again though, I am the biggest wimp that ever wimped so YMMV. Seriously, I didn't sleep for a week after watching Paranormal Activity and that movie is not even that scary. Thinking about it still gives me the heebie-jeebies and that was...christ, that was over 15 years ago.

I'd never listened to anything narrated by Kale Williams before and the narration was very good, he did convincing voices and accents and I enjoyed it a lot.

[Eugenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could not stop listening to this amazing audiobook!! ❤️❤️❤️Kale Williams narrated the hell out of this spooky, lovely, and romantic YA historical set in England!!😱😱

These are NTM authors—I’m so glad I took a chance on them! I’m a huge fan of YA books. I know many others are not, but I like the fact that they truly focus on character, relationships, and plot. They don’t have sex scene after sex scene to make up word count.

Well, this was a winner with me! 👏👏❤️❤️!! It had all the makings of a great ghost story:

Boys with mysterious backgrounds
A school dating back to the 1600’s
Strange sightings and noises in the night
Things people didn’t want to talk about
Unexplained deaths
And lots more!!

This was told from James’ POV, a young man sent away to school for reasons he won’t divulge—and I swear that when you do find out, you’ll be surprised! He quickly makes friends and is drawn to a quiet, beautiful boy who others spurn. He befriends William and slowly the two grow close.

As his relationship with William intensifies, so do the noises in the dark. When one of James’ friends disappears without a word, James starts digging into both the activity of the staff and the cause behind all of those bumps in the night. William is right by his side in all of this.

I won’t go further into the plot as not to spoil it.

I loved William and James, and I loved how they interacted, both before and after they got together. Although this wasn’t insta-love, once the two got together they were in all the way. Did I miss the sex? No, the mystery had me plenty engaged and the guys kissed a plenty!

There is an HFN and I can wait to listen to the next book.

Triggers: drug use, corporal punishment, torture.

[Devanshi · Rating 3 out of 5]

well, poetry is a strength. Or a weakness, depending on how you look at it.

I loved the sweet romance. And the poems. They were amazing. The plot was okay but still an enjoyable read.

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I will be allowed the opportunity not just to grow back into myself, but perhaps to blossom to an even greater potential.”

special thanks to britt for recommending this book to me!

let me start this off by saying that i would die for james and william, okay? okay.

i really enjoyed this story! i especially loved the writing style, it’s very easy to get into and so much fun to devour. this was a spooky mystery with gays and it’s just brilliant. it’s also heartbreaking at times which just made me feel all the feels.

i also loved the friendships in this story. there were some supporting friends, although not so much in the beginning, but in the end they all came together to help james and william. it was precious.

p.s. we don’t talk about oscar. that boy deserved better and my heart will forever bleed for him.

the only complaint i have with this is i felt the characters were a little hard to distinguish. i felt they didn’t have a good description with what they looked like. although, this could have just been a me thing. my memory is terrible so maybe there were detailed descriptions in the beginning and i just forgot. *shrugs*

so, in conclusion: if you’re looking for swoon-worthy gays, with sarcasm, and a spooky mystery then look no further and let me present to you this book!

[Kyle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Actual rating: 1.25* (UPDATED OCT. 2018)

I’m thoroughly disappointed. I honestly wanted to like this book more than I did. I even made lame excuses for all the faults I found, all the way up to the last page, telling myself again and again: Don’t worry, Kyle. I’m sure it’ll get better. There has to be a reason everything feels so uncharacteristically predictable. Just wait for the end; you’ll see how wrong you were to doubt— You’ll be surprised!

Right from the get-go, though, the story threw me off. I gleaned from the language and manner of speak that it was set somewhere in the UK, and definitely not within this century— but I didn’t find out until nearly 100 pages in what year it was supposed to be (somewhere around the 1880’s). The writing style also gave me pause, because it felt forced. I know in the Afterward the authors mentioned wanting to create a balance of language for readers, but it really did come off as two Americans attempts at writing historical fiction of the late 19th Century England. It was a good try, though.

I also knew from the back cover/premise that there was a chance of the dreaded “insta-love” trope, but I brushed this worry aside because I trust Kelley York as a writer and storyteller. And yet, there it was right from the start— just big ol’ love-at-first-sight BS.

*Cue the extravaganza of eye-rolling that continued until the final page*

‘Hi, I’m James.’
•’Hello. I’m William.’
...Like, three whole days pass...
‘Darling, I love you more than the moon and all the stars and galaxies and nebulas and atoms in existence.’
•‘And, darling, same. Ditto. Forthright and so-forth forever.’

It didn’t go exactly like that, but I’m eternally annoyed this trope exists. I don’t find it realistic in any sense. And then, of course, the romance leads me to my biggest problem with this book: the fact that James, our first person present protagonist, was the main pursuant of William. Here’s why that was a problem for me: His actions I could only view as predatory and unconcerned with consent. A triggering issue, especially given James’s past sexual abuse. The idea that he’d go after William so confidently (and only because/after he heard a few salacious rumors that William may swing his way), and continue to get so close after his past traumas... I just didn’t find it plausible. Admittedly, James stopped before anything went TOO far, but I can’t see anyone who had suffered continued sexual assault as a child be so forthcoming with their own romantic advances, and endure/encourage constant physical and intimate contact with another person. That’s not to say that survivors of sexual assault don’t lead varying levels of normalcy in intimacy, it’s simply... James seems so cocksure (no pun intended) of William. I expected boundaries to be given, or some major PTSD. Is that ignorant of me? Maybe.... It came off a bit (to me) as James doing exactly what was done to him, but to a lesser degree. It just didn’t sit right with me. It STILL doesn’t.

And even with all that, the relationship was way too saccharine for my tastes. I prefer darkened angst, painful longing, heartache, and pining from afar; not the immediacy of cutesy-wootsy crap every time they’re around each other. I don’t know. That may seem like cynicism to some, but constant lovey-dovey stuff doesn’t feel realistic to me.

Finally, the end was certainly choppy and vague... especially so the motivations of the antagonist(s). It’s mentioned explicitly in the text that we as readers should not expect concrete answers, but the story could’ve been better handled with more details and explanation. I know there is a sequel due out in a month’s time, but I don’t know (currently) if these characters are worth my interest. If I can expect more angst in the relationship; a more balanced (realistic) romance of ups and downs, then maybe I could be persuaded. I’m admittedly intrigued by where the story is headed, though. And Kelley York has my heart and soul after Suicide Watch, whereupon I decided I’d follow her anywhere.

So, we shall see...

[Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me, banging pots and pans together, sobbing: I LOVE THESE CHARACTERS MORE THAN I LOVE MYSELF

——

You know how some people reread Harry Potter over and over again? Well, I could read this series a million times and never tire of it. I love these boys so much. ❤️

——

My second read of this book involved my reading the physical copy rather than the ebook and it is GORGEOUS

——

I recently interviewed Kelley York, 1/2 of the authors who wrote A Light Amongst Shadows, a YA historical LGBT romance w/ supernatural twists! Read the interview w/ Kelley HERE: https://www.facebook.com/EyesOpenRevi...

Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/EyesOpenRevi...

ATTENTION LOVERS OF YOUNG ADULT, HISTORICAL FICTION, MYSTERY/HORROR, AND/OR LGBT+ REP
YOU WANT THIS BOOK
*this is a review of an ARC copy. Certain things throughout the book may change between now and the time of publication*
I NEVER WANTED THIS BOOK TO END.
That's why this review took so dang long to get out. The length itself was nothing terribly long or over the top - the PDF was 312 pages - but the world and characters inside were so incredible, I never wanted to leave.
A Light Amongst Shadows takes place at an all-boys boarding school in the 1870s and deals heavily in the societal scandals of homosexuality of the era, but does so in a way that is friendly enough toward YA and/or sensitive audiences. There's a lot of sneaking around, but ***most*** of the period-typical homophobia is implied rather than thrown directly in your face. Not to mention, James and William are, quite possibly, one of my favorite fictional couples of all time. I loved both of their characters so much and I loved James' narration. The story itself takes place in the 1870s and James' tone of voice is, in my opinion, pretty authentic-sounding for a teenager of that time, but he and William can easily connect with teenagers and young adults of today too. They're (from what I can tell - keeping in mind that I'm no 19th century historian) historical characters that comes off as accurate without being stuffy.
This book has...almost everything I love in a book? Historical fiction that doesn't sound stuffy, a cute couple and characters that I ADORE (I'm not exaggerating when I say that they could, quite possibly, be two of my most favorite characters of all time), AND a mystery/horror plotline? My God, I have never read anything like it, and I am so here for it. This book hits upon so many genre points and does it so WELL that nothing seems forced, choppy, or under-developed, I think it really, really could appeal to a large variety of audiences, and I REALLY hope that, once published, this book receives the recognition it deserves. I've read Kelley York before and I've loved everything I've read so far, but this is, quite possibly, my favorite.
I'm not going to delve too much into the darker plotlines of this book because I do not want to give anything away, but I think you can tell the general idea of things if you've read the summary. The horror/mystery part of this book is sort of Nancy Drew-esque, but is certainly suitable for older YA audiences, and still comes off in a way that is certainly intense and, personally, left me turning pages and craving more - EXCEPT I DID NOT WANT THIS BOOK TO END. Do you see my struggle?
If there is one single complaint I have about this book, it ***might*** be that I felt James' and William's backgrounds to be slightly glazed over. Especially James'. There's a pretty major bombshell that is dropped somewhere around the middle of this book, but then it's just sort of abandoned and there's a part of me that feels sorry for him, but it's also just sort of like "oh...that happened." I think I would have liked to see James struggle a bit more emotionally (although that could be just me, because I live for angst .-.), but overall the rest of this plot flowed incredibly well and, even though it IS the first book in the series, I'm legitimately sad to see it end.
Overall, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE. I loved this book so much, it is my favorite that I have reviewed on the Eyes Open page so far, and it is one of my most favorite reads of all time. I literally cannot give this book enough praise and I actually...feel empty inside now, thank you. What am I supposed to do with myself now? .-.

[Pam]

DNF@36%, but it was just a bad match between me and the book

Mostly because the darker, almost gothic atmosphere isn't one I particularly enjoy and there was a TW: past sexual assault of a minor lurking in the foreshadows that I'm pretty sure was about to become a plot line.

Plus, the main plot was already sad enough :( Adults abusing their power and ignoring their responsibilities to keep the children under their care safe just isn't something I can read about, even when the authors are successfully keeping an emotional distance between the plot and the reader, like they were here.

(The momentum was also just the tiniest bit draggy for my current attention span, and I wasn't fully buying the romance.)

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

(DEUTSCH WEITER UNTEN)


A nice book for in between. I really enjoyed the story and the characters <3
If you dare to take a deeper look, the subject matter is of course very serious and in between it also gave me the creeps. If we put the ghost theme to the side, I don’t think the story is all that far-fetched and that only makes it worse ...


(DEUTSCH)


Schönes Buch für zwischendurch. Ich hab die Geschichte und die Charaktere sehr genossen <3

Wenn man einen tieferen Blick wagt, ist die Thematik natürlich sehr ernst und zwischendrin hat es mich auch ganz schön mitgenommen.
Wenn wir die Geistthematik jetzt mal beiseitenehmen, ist die Geschichte meiner Meinung nach auch gar nicht so abwegig und das macht es ja nur noch schlimmer …

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audible Review

Overall 5 out of 5 stars
Performance 5 out of 5 stars
Story 5 out of 5 stars

So much love!
I loved this book sooo much, so imagine my complete and utter delight when Kelley York announced it, and the follow-up, A Hymn in the Silence, were going to be made into audiobooks! I could hardly stand the wait. But oh my word, was it worth it!

Man, it was hard though, listening to this and knowing what was to come, especially with a certain character. But I just loved revisiting everyone and "seeing" things again- especially when James is first intrigued by William, and meeting Benji and Preston! This second go round let me catch things I might have missed when reading, and just gave me a greater appreciation of certain scenes.
I love James and William and getting to know them all over again, my heart almost couldn't handle it.
A Light Amongst Shadows is so much more than just a creeepy ghost story-it's a hopeful and sweetly romantic love story and I will never get enough of it. of James and William.

Kale Williams bringing this story to life was EVERYTHING! He did such an incredible job with all the voices, but especially as James. He perfectly captured these characters and their feelings and emotions. Pure perfection!