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!

“When does a situation become so dire that the only choice is to surrender?”

In a world where sequels are rarely better than the first book, this is an exception. I loved the claustrophobia and the threat that was unseen but most definitely heard for the majority of The Watchers.

Its cliffhanger had me searching for a sequel for the longest time. It wasn’t until I had given up hope that I finally found it and, boy, was it worth the wait!

‘Is this about Mina’s monsters?’

You’d better believe it!

Nighttime, which for so long carried the shrieks of unseen nightmares, continues to haunt Mina. She has daily contact with Ciara, who understands all too well the horrors that live in the dark. They have good reason to remain terrified.

“They're everywhere. They've been watching you.”

Meanwhile, Sean Kilmartin has been continuing his father’s work since his disappearance three years ago. He believes he is on the verge of proving the sceptics wrong. Mina intends to stop him before it’s too late.

“Nothing good ever came from beneath the earth, certainly not when a Kilmartin was involved.”

Madeline, who I wasn’t overly sure of in the first book, was the standout here. I’ve loved watching her character evolve over the two books and can’t wait to see how her story ends up playing out.

Here, we learn more about the mythology and history of the Watchers. While the unknown generated its own fear in the first book, having an understanding of what they were capable of added a layer of dread and anticipation to this one.

Everything was bigger in this book: the locations, the screams, the bloodshed. Please, please read The Watchers first, though. This book includes major spoilers.

The set up for the third book (because there absolutely has to be a third book!) is even more dramatic than the first book’s cliffhanger. I just hope I don’t need to wait as long to get my hands on it. I need to see what happens in this world and who (or what) survives it.

Favourite no context quote: “History doesn’t sink over time. Tears keep it afloat.”

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Aries, an imprint of Head of Zeus, for the opportunity to read this book.

3.5 stars rounded up.
This is Book 2 in The Watchers series. After thoroughly enjoying Book 1 I couldn’t wait to read this one.
After escaping her terrifying prison, Mina has ended up on the West coat of Ireland. She barely leaves the cottage in order to avoid being seen by the Watchers but when people start disappearing from her sheltered life she has to flee. She tries to explain her situation to the Gardaí but her sanity is questioned. Meanwhile an excavation is about to take place in the Burren where nests of these creatures inhabit.

This book was up and down for me. I didn’t feel the same tense atmosphere as Book one until I was 70% in. At this stage the pace ramped up drastically and I really couldn’t put it down. I wasn’t entirely bored at the beginning though because there was a build up to the ‘folklore’ behind the Watchers which was intriguing but it didn’t help with pace.
The number of characters is kept to a minimum again so you are able to become invested in them. Madeleine remains a complex character and the one I liked the most.

This book ends on a cliffhanger and implies there will be a third book. I think it should have the potential of being more suspenseful. I look forward to reading it.

Other people will have better memories than me but I regret not reading the first book again so I could be reminded of some of the minor details.

After her terrifying experience at the hands of the Watchers, Mina has escaped to a cottage on the west coast of Ireland. She obsessively researches her former captors, desperate to find any way to prolong the safety of humankind.

Will she be found how will she stay safe?

Meanwhile, young Kilmartin has found an underground cavern of historical significance. Those at the dig suffer from headaches and some hear voices. What does it all mean and how does the dig connect to Mina?

A truly horror novel wrapped in a fairy tale. Beautifully written. I couldn't put it down and read it all in a day.

Stay in the Light is a chilling, atmospheric sequel to The Watchers, where A.M. Shine delivers even more suspense and Irish folklore-inspired horror. Mina, trying to escape her past terror, hides away on Ireland’s west coast, but the eerie presence of the Watchers continues to haunt her . Shine builds on the tense isolation of the first book, though this time with a wider cast and an intriguing, slow-burn mystery that leads to a gripping climax.

With its darkly immersive writing, creeping tension, and a hint at another book to come, Stay in the Light is a fantastic follow-up, even better than the first.

Thank you @netgalley for this #arc edition of A.M Shines #stayinthelight

First of all - I was of the impression that the publication date was the 25th of this month. So imagine my surprise when I went to Asda last week and saw it just chilling out in the book section!

Anyway, a much anticipated sequel to the intense and creepy The Watchers, this book picks up where the first one left off and takes us on a gripping and dark quest.

Compared to the first book, this one has, in my opinion, hefty slow burn vibes. Perhaps a little too slow burn at times. There is no denying that the writing quality is excellent. Shine has a great command of language and it makes it incredibly easy for the reader to keep on track with what is taking place.

It’s a brilliant concept with an excellent setting and well crafted characters. As far as sequels go - this one sets the bar high. Particularly in instances like this one, when the first book has been such a huge success.

I’m giving four ghosts because, even though I felt it was a bit too slow in parts, the excellent writing and narrative did make it worth while.

👻👻👻👻

Mina has escaped to the West Coast of Ireland spending her days researching her former captors and trying to figure out how to save humankind. When people Mina knows start to disappear. Mina knows The Watchers power is growing when she reports her findings her sanity is questioned. Can she convince people The Watchers are real or will she suffer the same fate she has dreaded since her nights in the coop.

I listened to this book by audio and I loved the narrator the accent added to the atmosphere and setting of the book and I would give the audio an easy 5 stars

The story itself was big let down to me. I absolutely LOVED The Watchers and was hooked from start to finish but this was so much more of a slow burn and the story didn't pull me in or keep me engaged if it wasn't for enjoying the narrator I maybe would have DNF this one. The story felt drawn out and didn't have the edge of your seat tension The Watchers had. It seems that likely there will be a third book which I will still read and hope for more of the tension that was in the first book.

Thank you to Netgalley, Head of Zeus and A.M Shine for an advance copy of this book and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.