Sunrays Among Shadows

The Anim #1

by H. Dawn Hunter

The Present:

After an abduction left them without memories of their childhood, Lily and Liam Howell have led a quiet life. For twenty years, they’ve avoided the topic of their disappearance, carefully tiptoeing around each other in fear of what they might expose or discover.
Until Lily remembers something. Then she’s willing to do anything to recover their lost year. But there’s a reason they were made to forget.

The Past:

Jasper Behrtram has a task to complete, and through the use of charm and wit, he has successfully managed to abduct numerous children from another world. But even he doesn’t know why he’s received these orders. He only knows that the punishment for failure far exceeds the struggles of his ensuing moral dilemma.
Until he meets Lily. Then he starts to think that, just this once, it might be worth it to disobey. But the consequences of his defiance will affect everyone around him … including the Howell siblings.

508 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 13, 2023

Reviews

[Melia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic emotional rollercoaster I just went on! I was thoroughly engrossed while reading this book, and when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it.I stayed up way past my bedtime, and I could not get enough of this story. The writing is done so well that I could visualize every detail described. I felt transported into the scenes, like a fly on the wall.

There is such delicate human emotion and trauma response described, I couldn't help but feel my heartstrings being tugged. I absolutely fell in love with Lily and Jasper's story. I love them both. I'm amazed at H. Dawn Hunter's ability to write about child abuse, both physical and sexual, without making you feel icky. This is a dark and deep story with a lot of heart and beauty. It's hard to believe this is a debut novel!

My favorite part of this story is the Anim. I CANNOT WAIT TO READ MORE!! I'm 100% hooked!
If you love fantasy then do yourself a favor and read this gorgeous book.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edit: I know I missed some but there’s so much foreshadowing happening now that I’ve read this a second time. Also my heart hurts from the emotional pain radiating from the pages of this book.😭



There’s so much to be said for books like Sunrays Among Shadows. The intrigue and mystery surrounding the characters and the plot had me guessing and second guessing every twist and turn and I’m still left wondering what happened and what’s going to happen next and yet there’s a clarity that just can’t be described until you read it for yourself. Quickly captivating and highly engrossing, it was hard to tell myself I needed to go to bed because staying up reading was so much more satisfying. I needed to know what happened next! Simply could not get enough. Characters were incredibly well developed and portrayed their emotions to a T. Their dialogue felt effortless and polished to that perfect shine - witty and amusing while fully rounded in all the right places. There’s a sense of such realness and intention displayed in the writing that you can’t ignore.

Touching deliberately on hard truths and harder emotions – this book brings light to some very sensitive subjects so be warned and please check out the list of trigger warnings before proceeding.

TW:
· Suicide
· Suicidal Ideation
· Manipulation
· Abuse (physical)
· Abuse (mental/emotional)
· Abuse (sexual)
· Abuse of a minor
· Death of a parent
· Neglect
· Self-harm/mutilation
· Death
· Violence
· Nightmares
· Mental Illness (PTSD, Depression, Anxiety)
· Kidnapping
· Rejection of religion

This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for my honest review. These thoughts are my own.

[Marjorie Moberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been thinking about this review for a while now. The problem is, I feel there’s nothing I could say that could adequately give this book and the author the praise they truly deserve. This book was perfection. Absolutely perfect. I fell in love with Lily from the very first chapter and continued to do so. The sibling dynamic between Lily and Liam is a relationship that, at first glance, may seem cold and distant, though you’ll see how they love in their own way, while simultaneously grieving and growing. Jasper, where do I even start? If you read this book, you’ll understand my broken heart for him. One name: Soren. Seth and Noah. I won’t go into much detail but I will tell you that I can feel that we are going to have a wild ride with these boys. Every single detail in this book is there for a reason. Every single one. This book did not take a few months to write. It took years of detail researching, re-editing, and blood, sweat, and tears. It’s truly a work of art and I will never not think of these complex, beautiful people.

- Impatiently waiting for book two.

[Bre Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book a few months ago and just recently received the sequel.

This book captured my attention rather quickly. I immediately liked the characters the author had created and then the world expanded and I fell in love more.

The world is so interesting. It binds a magical realm to the regular world in a way I haven’t quite seen before.

I also like how the author portrayed trauma. A lot the characters are dealing with various types of trauma, some more than others. As someone who’s experienced some similar types of abuse, I thought the way the author wrote the abuse and how a victim may respond was quite accurate. You feel hopeless and angry with the characters and you want nothing more than to hug them.

I’m interested to see where the series goes. Keep up the good work!

And for readers, enjoy a fantasy tail with magic and mystery and empathy.

[Taylor Calloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sunrays Among Shadows captured my attention from the very first page. Each character is well thought out and intriguing. The author truly brings you into their world and makes you a silent cheerleader. By the end of the book you are on the edge of your seat, wanting more. I can’t wait to read the next book and any other pieces by this incredible author!

[Liv Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written with what feels like a real understanding of the subject matter. This makes the story more digestible to read, having the understanding that the author is treating it with care.
The story is haunting, the themes and subjects stay with you after finishing and leave you wanting to know more.