Stay in the Light is the creepy follow-up to the superbly chilling The Watchers. Rich in sinister atmosphere, this is the perfect unsettling read for the season. There are a couple of really fear inducing scenes and the A.M Shine creates a great sense of anxiety and fear. A great horror listen, the audiobook narrator does a great job of capturing the frightened nature of the protagonist as she is stalked once again by the watchers. #stayinthelight #amshine #sequel #netgalley #horror #spookyseason

Thank you Head of Zeus audiobooks, Netgalley and A.M Shine for the audio Arc of Stay In the Light.
Narrated by Jacqueline Milne

Having read " The Watchers" when it was released in 2021, I re listened to the audiobook before listening to Stay In the Light. Id recommend that these books need to be read in order as the 2nd book picks right up after the 1st. I loved the premise of these books and enjoy the character development and dynamics between our MC, Mina and others. We are introduced to a new character, Sean in this second book and I found him well developed.

The pacing of this book is similar to the 1st, medium paced overall, some slow burn atmospheric creepy places and some faced paced spikes. These different pacing adds to the overall, creepy, atmospheric feel to the narrative which leads into a page turner to be sure. It also gives the reader places to breathe after some tense scenes. I loved the entwining of Irish folklore/mythology of The Watchers, which is details more in this second book. It will leave you shuddering in places, looking over your shoulder, wondering who you can trust. If they are a watcher or not. I really do hope that this isn't the end and we have another book to make this a trilogy !

Jacqueline Milne narrated this book and I loved listening to her. Her voice matches the pacing of the book perfectly as does her naturally Irish lilt. Wonderful!

4.5 stars on Storygraph. 5 stars on Amazon, Goodreads

The sequel to The Watchers although I haven't read the first book it didn't spoil my read of this book ( though I'd recommend reading it first ). Ciara hiding from the watchers who are shapeshifters and they can disguise themselves as real people. Creepy and full of tension this well written book is worth the read, I can't recommend it highly enough. Though I've read the book I had to hear the audiobook and I'm glad I did, Jacqueline Milne reading of this book gives it a new dimension. Thanks to Head of Zeus Audiobooks and Netgalley for this review audiobook.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story. I liked the narrator, they kept me interested.
I haven't read the watchers so it took me a little more time to get to grips with what was going on, but I got the gist.
I enjoyed it but I wasn't actually scared. I'm not sure if this is because I chose the audiobook?
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am so happy I got to read this book, the concept of this book is chilling and I can not get enough! The writing was incredibly and the audio narration made the book more intense.

I found this book very confusing and to be quite honest lacking a story worth my time, I wasn’t a fan of the narrator and that may have contributed to my dislike
Not for me but I am sure many will enjoy

A few months after the events of The Watchers, Mina is hiding in a secluded cottage on the west coast of Ireland. Meanwhile, Sean Kilmartin, the son of the original Kilmartin, embarks on an expedition to prove his father's theories. The narrative unfolds in parallel, with the first half focusing on Mina’s emotional breakdown, while Sean’s story gradually builds tension and mystery. It’s around the 50% mark that the pace intensifies.

I appreciated this approach to the sequel as it fleshes out the story allowing the reader to take a breath from the first one. It enables readers to explore Mina’s recovery after the traumatic events of the first book, while also letting the author steadily increase the excitement through Sean’s storyline. This dual narrative also weaves in new layers of mythology, enhancing the story.

Overall, this is an excellent sequel to The Watchers and a strong middle book in what I expect will be a trilogy.

I don’t know what it is, but I really couldn’t follow this book. I started listening to the audiobook version but I just couldn’t keep up with who was what and what was going on so I had to stop listening.
One star from me therefore I’m afraid.
Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus audiobooks for letting me review this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I was excited to read this having loved the authors previous book and this did not disappoint
This was creepy, tense and well paced with a dark atmosphere
I particularly enjoyed the Irish myth woven in to the story which is something I am interested in
The narrator was excellent and this was hard to put down!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

Not always one for this kind of genre, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this audio. It was a little scary for me in parts but that’s the point right haha. A good narration made it very atmospheric and I thought the twisty plot worker so well with the premise of the book. Characters worked so well and it overall would be a great book for people who liked books such as The Last House on Nedless Street and The Retreat. Great job

Format Review 🎧
Okay, so I loved this narrator. Firstly, she’s got a beautiful Irish accent which heightens the authenticity and sense of place in this book. While the book was slow at times, it was thoroughly enriched through her performance and she made it a joy to listen to. I don’t think I’ve ever been glued to an audiobook the way that I was with Stay in the Light and I’m not sure I would have rocketed through this if I’d been reading it myself! Format Rating: 5/5

Story Review 📖
The Watchers was one of my favourite folk horror books of all time and a perfect ending. When this sequel was announced, I was skeptical (how does one improve on perfection?) but curious too!

Unlike its predecessor, this is a slow burn. We spend a lot of time with Mina as she processes her trauma from book one through alcoholism, which makes up the first 30% of the book. We spend time with some familiar characters and we’re also introduced to Professor Kilmartin’s son (who is a total dick). As always, The Yellow One is a bright spot among these complex and difficult-to-like characters. The story itself is very thin on the ground and almost seems to be setting up a third book rather than standing on its own merits.
What I found most difficult about this book was how it explained and delved into the folklore around the Watchers, a creature which may have worked better as a creepy unknown. While I enjoyed the foray into Irish folklore, I found that calling the Watchers ‘fairies’ deeply undermined their creepiness and having their origin story explained didn’t work as well as letting our imaginations run wild and fill in the blanks.

While a middling AM Shine book is still better than most stuff out there, I wish he’d used his exquisite prose, powerful storytelling, and rich world building to create a new universe rather than drawing out a perfect book into what might now be a series. Story Rating: 3.5/5

I was privileged to have my request to listen to this audio book accepted through NetGalley. Thank you so much, Head of Zeus!