This sequel to the Watchers is set not long after Mina has escaped the coop and the watchers. She has escaped to a cottage in what she thinks is a safe place where no one can reach her. Unfortunately, she will soon be proven otherwise. She is traumatised and alone, waiting to hear from Madeline who told her that the watchers were out of the woods before disappearing.

I really liked this prequel, although it wasn't as good as the first book. It was still scary though and the action scenes left me extremely stressed out. I thought it was well-written and fast-paced, leaving me feeling terror creeping up on me all the way through the novel.

It was interesting to learn more about the changelings history and how they're slowly making their way into the rest of the world. I remember feeling such intense relief when Mina managed to escape the forest in the first book, thinking that she was out of danger. But I was completely wrong and I thought it was terrifying how she comes to realise in this sequel that absolutely nowhere is safe.

I do think that there will be another book following up this one, although I don't think it has been confirmed yet. The ending was such a cliffhanger though and I would be very disappointed if I don't get to read more. This book feels like a perfect bridge between the enclosed space the first book is set in and the potential that a third book could have on a wider scale. At this point, I will read anything this author writes!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I read this directly after finishing The Watchers (which I adored for its tense, pressure-cooker horror). I can't help but feel a little disappointed by this follow-up.

I loved the expansion of the lore about the Watchers and digging further into the world of Irish mythology. I'll definitely still seek out the 3rd volume of the series to see where things go from here. But the expansion of the novel in terms of location and time meant something of the razor sharp tension of the first book was lost for me. There were also a few parts where I felt I really had to withhold my disbelief (especially in the more action-orientated sequences towards the end of the book).

The 1st book definitely needs to be read too: this isn't a stand-alone novel (not a criticism!).

Picks up pretty much where the first book left off so you absolutely have to read The Watchers to know what is going on in this one, it is not a stand alone sequel.

Mina, has been left somewhat lost following the events in The Watchers, understandably so...

Living alone, isolated from the world this time by choice but, almost a mirror image to life in the coop and she is finally free from the nightmare, even if this nightmares continues to consume her.

We are introduced to new characters in this book, a familiar name who's sole intend is to finish that work someone else left behind. Some familiar faces and a foreboding sense of dread.

Full of mysterious, eerie intent Stay in the Light is the sequel I wanted and once again the author has blended the perfect amount of suspense and horror. This one does leave you with a lot of unanswered questions though but, my suspicion is perhaps we haven't quite reached the peak of Mina's story, will there be a third book? I mean, it has left me reeling, pondering so many things and I need to know more!!!

I'm a huge A.M. Shine fan so I'd happily follow this series through with a 3rd installment....
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Another solid outing from Shine. After discovering The Watchers a few years ago. I was hooked!

Auto buy author that is the King of mythical horror.

This was a really enjoyable sequel to one of my favourite horror novels.

It was quite different than the first novel in that the book wasn’t contained to one place (I.e. in a bunker in a creepy forest), but I enjoyed the fast pace and expanded scope of the story. Whilst the sequel didn’t quite capture the magic of the first book for me, I really enjoyed the building of the mythology from the first book and it had an effectively tense and creepy atmosphere throughout.

Although I enjoyed A. M. Shine’s writing in this sequel to The Watchers, there was something that did not give with the pacing for me personally. The first half was a bit of a drag pacing wise. I did, however, enjoy the dual POV narrative with Mina and Sean.

But I am still interested to read the third book in this series.

Great horror book, one which you need to leave the big light on for ;excuse the pun)! Seriously though it had me sleeping with one eye open! Brilliant.

A worthy sequel to one of my favourite horror novels. Stay in the Light does everything a sequel should in increasing the concepts scope, ambition and action. The ending left me wanting the inevitable (and now highly anticipated) conclusion to this fantastic story of those now among us!

In Stay in the Light, we’re still following Mina who survived the events of the first book, with her new best friend, the parrot (or yellow one), as they’re hiding out in a remote cabin/bunker. But as you’d expect, things start to fall apart. The world of The Watchers is expanded as we also follow Sean, relative of a supporting from the first book, as he embarks on an expedition that could pluck him out of obscurity. But as you’d expect, things start to fall apart.

I will admit, this one was difficult to get my head back into as it picks up from the previous book. Some of the pacing was a bit slow for me, but I did enjoy the world expanding that you see in this one.

Thanks to NetGalley, the team at Head of Zeus, and the author for the opportunity to read this review copy. Stay in the Light is out now.

Creepy. exciting, and gripping: an excellent follow up to The Watcher, another trip into nightmares. AM Shine is an excellent storyteller and deliver another excellent horror story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thank you for providing me with a copy of Stay in the Light. This was an excellent sequel to The Watchers and I enjoyed how it picked straight up from the end of the first book. We really got to see a lot more of the background and lore surrounding the watchers which was really interesting, and that we got to see the aftermath of the happenings in The Watchers. I have really enjoyed both books in this series, and love the development that the characters get which we often don’t see as much in a horror. I would say that I enjoyed the creepiness of the first book more than the second which I didn’t find as creepy, but I loved the continuation of the story and the vividness of the depiction of the Watchers and how these beings jump off the page. From the cliffhanger ending it seems that there will definitely be room for a third book in this series and if there is I will definitely pick it up.

Ever since I first read The Watchers way back in 2021, I have been telling everyone at every opportunity to read it. I then met Al in person at Cymera, when the movie version was but a twinkle in his eye. Now here we are, three years on and its sequel has arrived.

If you look back at my original review I mentioned the fantastic and unnerving ending which has always stayed with me. Never did I imagine we’d get a continuation of Mina and Madeline’s story.

And what a continuation. It’s difficult to talk about ‘Stay in the Light’ without some kind of spoiler to ‘The Watchers’ so if you’ve not read it then TURN BACK NOW.

You have been warned...

So obviously Mina (and the Parrot), Ciara and Madeline escaped the Coop. And Madeline is revealed as one of The Watchers. Madeline is absent from this sequel for a while, while new characters are introduced – one being the son of Professor David Kilmartin, the brains behind the Coop and from watcher to watched in the original. There’s an absolutely genius prologue here that ties in so well with a late discovery in the previous one, tying threads together seamlessly. And so, son Sean wants to continue his father’s work and discover just what lurks (or lives) underground in remote areas of Ireland.

I’ll say no more.

Go in cold – but please please PLEASE read the first book before digging into this. They work as a pair so don’t even attempt to skimp on the back story.

AM Shine has created a novel that expands on the myth of the creatures and lore of book one and unleashes something extra this time round. The writing, as ever, is beautiful. There’s a sense of eeriness and foreboding throughout as the creatures adapt to their surroundings – attempting to replicate humans in an almost ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ way.

All the stars.

First of all, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book! I absolutely adored the first book and I was so happy to receive the second one.

AM Shine has done it again. A terrifying and creepy novel following up the events in The Watchers. We still follow Mina, as she tries to carve a small life and avoid notice from the Watchers. The woods have stayed with her however, and they know it. No matter how far she runs, her past will always catch up with her.

We also have the perspective of Sean, digging into his and his father’s past and perhaps uncovering something he could never have dreamed about. The two major storylines only come together at the end, so I can only imagine we’re set up for book three.

This story genuinely terrifies me, and I love it. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

This sequel is needed. I loved the first book and I didn't want to leave the characters. This did not disappoint. The setting is creepy and mind provoking. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the free eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Such a good book, I loved both the first book and the film adaptation and this second book did not fail to impress, I love a m shines writing, please read this if you get to it will not disappoint

If you enjoyed the first book then you will probably enjoy this one as well. Now the first book took me a bit to get into, but this one once I started next thing I knew I was at the end. It was a fun, quick read and I really enjoyed it. It was nice seeing these characters again and what happened since the woods plus there are some fun new characters. Mina is still struggling and is not the brightest at times (some of her decisions were questionable), but it was still fun. I liked that we got more of the backstory of what was going on with the Watchers and the humans and there is a great setup for the next book! I really look forward to seeing what happens next as the last few pages were pretty interesting and I am really curious to see where the story goes.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for the E-ARC and Audio-ARC. As an immersion reader this really helps.

As a big fan of A.M. Shine's The Watchers, I eagerly anticipated Stay in the Light, and it absolutely delivered. Shine expertly builds on the eerie atmosphere and suspense that made the first book unforgettable, introducing new layers of psychological depth and horror.

One of the standout aspects of Stay in the Light is the storyline surrounding Mina, which explores themes of mental illness with nuance and sensitivity. Shine doesn’t just create a terrifying situation; he delves into Mina’s inner world, showing how her personal struggles with mental health affect her experience and perception of the strange, dark forces at play. This added complexity made her journey even more immersive and emotional, grounding the supernatural elements with a sense of real-life vulnerability and inner conflict.

The addition of Sean, the son of a character from The Watchers, adds a fascinating generational thread to the story. Sean’s presence brings a sense of continuity and deepens the horror of Shine’s universe, suggesting that the darkness can haunt not just individuals, but entire families across time. His character feels fully realized and connected to the past events, which amplifies the tension and stakes as he faces the same lurking threats that have haunted his family.

Stay in the Light is an excellent follow-up to The Watchers. With its combination of psychological exploration, family ties, and atmospheric horror, it’s a must-read for fans of modern horror who appreciate depth alongside thrills. Shine has again crafted a gripping, haunting tale that lingers long after you’ve turned the final page.

Stay In The Light by ratchets up the dread and searing anxiety readers experienced in “The Watchers” and provides a fantastic expansion on the folklore and characters we’ve been begging to see more of. Highly suggest reading this one with the lights on and the doors locked.

If you enjoyed Book 1, just you wait 👀

What a fantastic sequel to The Watchers! The creepy, chilling vibe that was felt throughout The Watchers continued into this book and made it a perfect book for spooky season. Mina is back out in the real world now and everything is going as well as it can until it suddenly isn't. She is thrust back into the horror of it all and has to fight to survive all over again. We also have the second storyline of the archaelogical dig and even though it takes quite some time for anything creepy to happen there, I still just had this sense of dread hanging over me the entire time and I kept waiting for it all to go horribly wrong.
I've read 3 of A.M Shine's books now and they've all been brilliantly written. I can't wait to see what comes next!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Sequels are a tough subject because sometimes you’re desperate to find out more, while other times you just want your favourite book to be left as it is so that you can appreciate it in its singular glory.

But The Watchers definitely ended in a way that left you questioning what would happen next. And I would NOT have predicted that it went in the direction of Stay In The Light!!

Firstly, I had to remind myself of what happened at the end of the previous book as I couldn’t remember the characters (and which of them we should be trusting) since I read it a few years ago, so I recommend giving yourself a refresh before picking this one up as it might get a little confusing otherwise. (And no, it’s definitely not a book that you can read as a standalone!).

But once I got myself back on track, I was curious to see what was happening after their escape, and how they would deal with what they now know about the world.

This sequel isn’t as scary as the first book but it does still carry that sense of impending doom, and there are a few scenes towards the end which are a little spooky!

Overall, I really enjoyed delving into more Irish folklore and it was so interesting to learn about the origin of the watchers. And as a quick read, it’s definitely worth reading if you liked Book 1!