Into the Light

Absolutely blown away again as only Aleatha can. This book had me on the edge of my seat struggling to put the puzzle together but being kept in suspense around every turn. From the very first word I was engrossed, my suspicions never panning out because Aleatha is just so, so good. A really awesome read if you are into mystery and intrigue.

When Sara Adams awakens from the accident she is blind, in severe pain, and helpless. She can barely move without excruciating pain. Even worse, she has lost her memory. She doesn’t even know who she is, or who that man beside her bed is! Little-by-little, she discovers he is her husband, the one who can inflict both pain and offer comfort.

Stella Montgomery, news reporter, has been investigating a very suspicious and dangerous story. Young women have been disappearing , and it is all centered around a very bad part of Detroit. Her friend is one of the women who has disappeared, and this provides even more incentive to uncover the plot of their disappearances. Although she realizes how dangerous her investigation has become, she risks her own safety to break the case.

Wow! This one is filled with surprises! Little-by-little, the reader learns more about Sara and her struggle to remember. We also learn more about Stella, the reporter who is risking all to find her friend and to uncover the plot of a crime. Because the characters are well-defined and realistic, the reader can’t stop reading. She feels compelled to find out what will happen to them. The reader finds herself immersed in the story, unintentionally experiencing many of the characters’ emotions firsthand.

There aren’t many authors out there that I would just pick up a book without knowing what it’s about. But Aleatha Romig is one of those authors for me. Yet again I was not disappointed with the incredibly twisted mind f•k. Sara wakes up disoriented and with no memory of her life prior, including her husband. The story definitely had “The Village” vibe to it and was very intriguing. I would actually find it hard to sleep at night because all I could do was wonder what was in store for the characters. When the big reveal happens at the end, I actually had to turn the page back and read it again because I thought my mind was playing tricks on me. The story was told in such a way that I would’ve never guessed it. I know who I’m rooting for in book 2 and I CANNOT wait to see what happens.

WOW! Once again, Aleatha Romig, has crafted a detailed story full of intrigue and deception with her new release, Into The Light. I’ll be honest, I’m completely captivated by her writing. Having read almost all of her books, I have come to expect this level of enchantment. Yet I am ALWAYS shocked and blown away by how much I am held hostage by the storyline and characters in each new book. Into The Light is no different in that respect. The storyline–cults, women disappearing, possible drug trafficking, good guys, bad guys, unsuspecting women–grabs your interest, keeps you turning page after page, holding your breath at times, hoping that just one more tidbit might be revealed to help you discover just what the heck is happening here! Just when you think you might be onto something, WHAM! something else happens to make you rethink what you already thought you knew. I was flipping pages back and forth, saying, “WHAT?” “WHAT?” “NO!” “OMG!” This book is a suspense-filled, crazy, exciting roller-coaster of a ride. I’m giving this book 5 mind-blowing stars because I’m still trying to figure out how it messed with my head the way it did. LOVED IT!

I love this author’s deviously twisted mind and her ability to weave a tale of secrets, lies and deception. This book is set around a cult, some characters you instantly dislike, you can feel your hackles rising when they are in a scene and other characters you take to your heart straight away. Jacob and Sara are finding their way in The Light as a couple and it is heart warming, so many rules Sara must follow otherwise she will receive ‘correction’. You can feel Sara’s confusion when trying to recall things she should know but has forgotten following her ‘accident’ together with her life ‘In the dark’

In typical Aleatha style there is still so much of the plot to come… This book paves the backstory for Jacob and Sara and sets the foundation for The Light’s way of life. Told from a dual POV, the book is steady paced and we learn what is expected from members of the cult and the hierarchy. As with all cults, it’s a cover for something much bigger.. So what have you got in store for us Aleatha? There is an almighty reveal coming, I can feel the tension building. The suspense is palpable!

“Obeying isn’t optional. Remember that.”

Where do I start? So much happened in this book and especially towards the end where Aleatha Romig threw some crazy plot twists our way. Into the Light reminded me why I love thriller and suspense books. A couple of years ago I only read thrillers and devoured them. That was before I was introduced to the Romance genre. Every other chapter you get hints and it makes you come up with theories and you have no idea if they are correct or not. I highlighted a lot in this book because they all were pieces to a puzzle I was trying to solve. I have a good imagination and I personally think I would make a great investigator, so a couple of the theories I came up with were correct. My hunches about a couple of characters were right. But the plot twist towards the end had me shocked!

Stella is looking for her best friend who is missing. I loved her character a lot. She was determined, independent, strong and fierce. She didn’t let anyone stand in her way and continued investigating the missing case as well as other cases. Sara is the other main character who had me intrigued. I wanted to know where she came from and how she ended up at The Light. Every character at The Light was acting so mysterious and just like it did with Sara it confused me as well. The third POV in this book was of Jacob, Sara’s husband, who is an Alpha male and very protective of her.

I will keep this review as mysterious as the book itself. If you love suspense, mystery and romance then I recommend you to pick this book up. The writing was superb and the story had a great pace and flow. This story will hook you and have you dying to get answers to all your questions. I can’t wait for Away from the Dark to release because I need answers and I need to know what will happen!

Reading this book was the best decision I made hands down!!
We have Sara who wakes up in an hospital with no memory of her prior life or her husband Jacob. Right off the bat I knew something was off about the whole thing. This whole marriage didn’t seem right. The more I read the more this screamed CULT!!!! Sara, you’re in danger girl!! Jacob also seemed like he had something to hide and you have to read the book to find out what I’m talking about. My jaw literally dropped with that bombshell!! We have also have Stella who is investigating the disappearance of her best friend, Mindy. My theory on this whole disappearance was wrong and that was another twist I didn’t coming! Stella is also dating a detective named Dylan. Keep that in the back of your mind for later! There were so many twist and turns and shocking revelations in this book. The best part about this book is the minute I thought I had something figured out Romig would throw in a curveball. I love when a book keeps you on your toes and you don’t know what expect. This book had my mind all over the place. I had all these different theories and questions and feelings. What I loved about the book was the writing. I’ve never read anything by Romig before and man can she write a book!! This story just sucked me in and kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t read fast enough and now I’m upset it’s over. Will Sara get her full memory back? Will Jacob come clean? What will happen with Father Gabriel?? Will we ever find out what happened to Mindy? I have a whole other theory about her and waiting to see if I’m correct. Will Dylan be outed? I don’t know how I can wait for the next book! Thank You Romig for renewing my love in this genre again! Well done!

Aleatha Romig works her magic ONCE AGAIN in this psychological romantic thriller that has the reader completely riveted within the first couple pages. The plot is like NO OTHER and is packed full of mystery, suspense, deceit, intrigue, secrets and romance.

Told from multiple POV’s, we get several layers to this story. First, we have Stella Montgomery’s POV. She is an investigative reporter who is seeking answers for these mysterious bodies of dead woman showing up in the city where she lives, all the while attempting to figure out the possible connection between those woman and her best friend, Mindy, whom has recently gone missing.

Then we have Sister Sara Adams, who wakes up in a clinic battered, broken and bruised, with absolutely NO memory to speak of. She wakes up to find out that she is married to a Jacob Adams and is told that they live in and belong to a community (sect/cult) called “The Light”. With amnesia, no vision (due to the damage to her retina, she has bandages over her eyes, which eventually heals) and no vocal communication (due to the damage to her throat, which also eventually heals), she is at the mercy of her husband and her so called “friends” to remind her of who she is. While healing, she has to learn the ways of “The Light” all over again and perfect the roles of an Assemblyman’s wife. “No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t remember anything from the previous day. Have I blocked it out? Why? And why do my recent memories seem wrong, like they belong to someone else?” –Sara. “I was at the mercy of these people, people I couldn’t see or remember. People with frightening tones, rules, and decrees.” –Sara.

Lastly, we get Jacob Adams’ POV. He is desperately trying to help Sara to relearn the community’s ways. “The Light” has particular guidelines everyone has to follow and adhere to. Above all, these rules must be followed and if they are not followed, they must be corrected in anyway deemed fit by the husbands and the commission of “The Light”. “…it’s my responsibility to teach, correct, and bring her in to the light.” –Jacob. Jacob is finding himself torn in his teaching of these rules with Sara. He is seemingly beginning to realize the errors in their way of living, but failure is not an option, so he must continue to acclimate Sara and get her to relearn their ways, if he can’t, it could jeopardize both their lives.

“The Light practices a single mind-set of enlightenment, all working as one, doing God’s work, and fulfilling Father Gabriel’s teaching.”

What a completely unique and eerily realistic novel! Aleatha Romig definitely did her research and time on studying communities like “The Light” for this novel and as a result she wrote a chillingly powerful story that left me looking at the world differently and it had me questioning and second guessing everything and everyone while reading! Her attention to details and descriptions throughout INTO THE LIGHT is PHENOMENAL! I seriously felt like I was there, in every scene! Her writing produced such intense emotions from me….from physical chills to heart racing moments, I had them all! The mystery and suspense was top notch! Aleatha Romig is the ONLY author that I know of to write a story with so many POV’s happening without giving the ending away! Because of that, each chapter I was more and more engrossed with the characters and their connection to each other. Right when I thought I knew one aspect of the story, there would be a new chapter with another “layer stripped away” and I would be back to square one…LOST! All I know for sure after reading this book is, I for one, would NOT want to wake up in the situation that Sara finds herself in!

Aleatha Romig wrote a novel that completely blew my mind and consumed my life! Even now, days after finishing it, I am STILL trying to put all of the puzzle pieces back together. That cliffhanger was BRILLIANT!!! I did not see that coming AT ALL! Waiting patiently (not so patiently) for AWAY FROM THE LIGHT (The Light #2) to come out October 18, 2016! I would HIGHLY recommend INTO THE LIGHT to anyone that loves suspense, mystery and remarkable writing!

5+ stars!

An intriguing story, it kept me guessing. Can’t wait to read the next book