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.

I adored The Watchers, and so was very excited to see that there is a sequel out there. We're back with Mina, this time in a setting that isn't as fixed as the one in the first book was. I really loved the description of the sleepy little seaside town, the harsh Burren and the other settings that we travelled to. I especially loved the depiction of the cave/tomb/prison, unearthed by Sean Kilmartin. I would have loved to have even more of the book taking place in it because it was so gorgeously creepy and left me feeling really unsettled. It took about 40% into the book for the plot to really get going and also for some of my memories of the previous book to come flooding back. I am very excited about the way this author left the ending somewhat open... I can practically taste the third book! Very excited.

This sequel is amazing. It's even better than the first book, which was excellent. The Watchers is one of my favourite horror novels of all time, and this is a worthy follow up. Equally disturbing and atmospheric, it's a triumph of style and substance.

Stay in the Light - 4.5 Stars!

After The Watchers I was so curious to see how this book would unfold. I had no idea how the story would be anywhere near as good as the first one but A.M Shine nailed it!!

I don't think I've ever been as stressed reading a book as I was while reading this one. It was sooo creepy and had me holding my breath in so many moments.

I didn't expect the character of Sean and initially I was worried that I wouldn't enjoy his storyline as much as Mina's but it was so good!!

The first 20% of the book was a bit slow, I found that I had to push myself through it a bit. It was however well worth it.

Highly recommend this book!! I hope they turn this one into a movie too!

Mina may have managed to escape from the Watchers, but in her mind she's still not free in this spooky follow-up to Shine's 2022 novel.

This second book delves much deeper into some of the folkloric origins of the creepy creatures from the original book. There are plenty of genuinely creepy and scary moments, but it feels less tightly plotted. The first book was largely confined to the one horrifying location, while this book jumps around from place to place, and is a little worse off for it.

I did find the sections dedicated to the exploration of a hidden underground tunnel system in the Burren more compelling, again I think because the location and the sense of dread it invokes are as much a factor in the spookiness as the actual unsettling Watchers themselves. There was a strong edge of your seat effect, caused by knowing exactly what horror the expedition was unknowingly getting itself into.

Mina's story was definitely the weaker of the two interwoven tales, and it felt like it bounced around in a way that felt silly at times rather than scary.

Having said all that, I think the ending is probably enough of a hook that I'm likely going to read the next installment anyway, whenever that comes out.

Coming from Wales which has such a strong history of Celtic folklore and ‘chwedlau’ (folktales), I have always had a soft spot for stories that draw upon elements of Celtic myths and legends.

I absolutely loved The Watchers and was so excited to discover that the sequel, Stay In The Light, carries on directly from where the first book ended. It’s such a creepy concept, and that comes across even more in this second book as the ‘watchers’ have learned to imitate humans so well that they have been able to integrate with society. Mina in particular is terrified that literally anyone could be a changeling and her struggles only get worse when she finds out that Professor Kilmartin’s son seems intent on finishing his father’s work and proving his theories.

I thought that the scenes at the archaeological dig, The Burren, were really effective. The dark and claustrophobic atmosphere really allows your imagination to run wild and eerie underground tombs are the perfect setting for a book to read over the spooky season.

With strong returning characters and mix of horror, fantasy, lore and science-fiction, Stay In The Light is the perfect example of how to tackle a sequel. By adding Sean in as another main character and expanding the Irish mythology, the story felt both familiar and fresh at the same time. The author also really upped the pace at the end leading to an incredibly dramatic cliffhanger! At least this opens up the possibility for a third book which I have very high expectations for!

This was such a good sequel! I felt just as captivated with this as I did The Watchers, it really built up the tension and kept me hooked, looking likely for a 3rd book and I cannot wait.

ay in the Light by A.M. Shine, a book review by Jim McLeod

A.M. Shine first exploded onto my radar with his second novel of sheer Irish-based terror, The Creeper. I was so impressed by the story’s originality and the bone-chilling imagery that I had to check out his debut novel, The Watchers, which has recently been turned into a Hollywood movie.

The Watchers is a disturbing and claustrophobic horror novel that uses Irish myth and folklore as the basis for the narrative.
It is a highly effective debut novel that perfectly showcases the talents of an excellent and gifted writer. I was over the moon when I discovered there would be a sequel and possibly a third entry (more about that later) in this series of books.

Stay in the Light by A.M. is a direct sequel to The Watchers; fresh from escaping the mysterious “cabin” in the woods and her terrifying ordeal with the mysterious Watchers, Mina finds her life in ruins.

Physically, mentally, and emotionally battered and bruised by the events in the first novel, Mina retreats to a secluded cottage on the west coast of Ireland. However, any sense of relief and hope that she has found by becoming all but a hermit is short-lived as she once again encounters the dark and sinister forces that haunted her past. Where she always follows the rules, I mean, who wouldn’t? We all know that rules are the most important when dealing with Celtic creatures. Mina once again finds herself in a battle for her life as The Watchers come crashing back into her fragile, peaceful world.

Stay in the Light fundamentally differs from The Watchers’s narrative style. Shifting from being a claustrophobic horror thriller to a more psychological horror was a clever move by Shine. I’m not a huge fan of sequels, and I firmly believe that most horror franchises never need more than two sequels. And more importantly, they should never be a rehash of what came before. They should build and expand on the previous instalments. So, by shifting the narrative tone from a claustrophobic siege mentality horror novel to a more introspective psychological horror, the novel’s first act was a much-welcomed change of pace.

Shine persuasively uses the first act to deliver a heartbreaking look at Mina’s descent into near madness.
Did the events of The Watchers really happen, or was it all a figment of Mina’s warped psyche? Of course, we, the readers, know all too well what the truth is. However, seeing a novel tackle the events and fallout of someone being caught up in a horror story was refreshing. It is something you rarely see in a horror story—witnessing the consequences of a character and their struggles to cope with life after such traumatic events was a welcome addition to the narrative.

With the arrival of Sean, a mysterious archaeologist with an unhealthy obsession with the Watchers, the narrative style takes a quantum shift in style. Shifting to a more standard horror novel style. The dual narrative threads of Mina and Sean’s stories merge seamlessly to provide an utterly gripping tale. Yes, Sean’s story sometimes needs a slight info dump problem. Still, overall, you can overlook this as the revelations offered here are brillaint and add a believable sense of mythology to the story. I hope you paid attention to The Watchers, as Sean is the son of one of the key characters in the previous novel.

One of Stay in the Light’s many strengths is Shine’s handling of the Watchers.
It would have been easy to portray them as purely evil creatures, but Shine takes a different approach. He delves into the old stories of Celtic lore and presents the Watchers as ambiguous in their motivations and desires. This ambiguity adds a layer of intrigue and curiosity to the story, making it even more compelling.

Stay in the Light is a testament to Shine’s growth as a writer. His writing style has evolved with each of his three novels, and it’s particularly evident in this book. His ability to build tension through vivid descriptions has reached a masterful level. Filled with the same ‘Oh my God’ moments that made The Creeper such a compelling horror novel. You’ll need to put the book down so you can caress your jaw after yet another jaw-dropping passage.

Stay in the Light by A.M. Shine is a gripping and masterfully written sequel that delves deeper into the world of Celtic lore, delivering a magnificently terrifying reading experience.

The second book in The Watchers series expands the world and folklore of the first, answering questions readers were left with and continuing a saga of action and survival.

I’m so glad we get to find out more about these characters, from how they get by after almost losing their lives trapped in the woods, to how they try to protect others from the changelings trying to masquerade as people.

There are fast-paced scenes, introspective scenes, and creepy, extremely claustrophobic scenes dripping with atmosphere. The writing style is clever and engrossing, each POV is interesting (even if you do want to scream at Sean for making every horror movie faux pas) and the fantastical aspects are eerily believable, woven through with scientific explanations and realistic human responses.

If you enjoyed the Irish literary horror of The Watchers (which you do need to read first) then I highly recommend it. I for one am eager for more of the story, and hope there will be a book three soon.

4.5 Stars!!

“You may have escaped… but you’ll never be free.”

This is the sequel to The Watchers. I had just finished reading The Watchers and its ending made me so anxious to start this one and boy did it capture my attention. I read it in a day and could not put it down!

There was lots of tension and it answers all the questions that the first book leaves you with. I felt this one was more thriller than horror, but still has the perfect amount of creepiness. Personally that made me enjoy it more as I enjoy creepy thriller more so than horror. I also found it to be a lot faster paced too.

I would say this shouldn’t be read as a stand-alone and you need to read The Watchers first. It also seems it ends to set itself up for a third book- so excited for that!

If you liked The Watchers, then you definitely need to pick this one up!🖤