A Light Amongst Shadows

This is a great paranormal romance. The dangers the characters face feel real and threatening at every moment, but their bond is so strong. For that reason, this is a very well-titled book. I'm definitely excited to continue reading the series.

This book includes some heavy subject matter, so be sure to check the content warnings (here or elsewhere) before reading.

This was the perfect October read! It was actually quite suspenseful and hair-raising which is something I don't find near as much as I expect I should in the horror/paranormal genre. That on top of a charming romance and even more charming lead character, it's a recommended read.

This is told from the POV of James who is shipped off by his parents to an all-boys religious finishing school after he suffers from abuse from his uncle that his parents refuse to believe and, in retaliation or a sort-of mental break, he sets fire to his family home with all inside. The school is one for “wayward boys” as they used to say so they're stricter than what might be considered normal with curfews and punishments. However, when James' roommate and now-best friend starts to act strangely and coming back from the headmaster's office with more injuries from “punishment” than is decent, then suddenly disappears altogether, James feels it's his duty to get to the bottom of it, with no help from the rule-following (out of fear) peers and staff.

The ghosts here are very vividly described with a well thought-out plot and, while the climax gets maybe a bit over-the-top, it's a very scary but fun read with equal parts romance, drama, and thrills.

The MCs sounded more like middle aged women than teenaged boys but the story had a nice mix of sweetness and creepiness.