Shayne Leighton’s stunning NA debut is a fiercely imaginative, multilayered contemporary fantasy where Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus meets Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles in a story about a girl caught between two societies . . . two sides . . . and two loves.
Raised by a Vampire in a secret society of Witches, Shifters, and Elves, Charlotte finds that she is the freak in her world of … her world of magic and wonder. When she stands before an army of impossible obstacles, the likelihood of survival in this coming-of-age modern fairy tale is slim, resulting in a war between light and darkness.
Charlotte knows no other home than the one nestled deep in the woods of Eastern Europe, where Witches draw spells of enchantment, Shifters throw tea parties, and Elves are the closest in kin.
As genocide and war threatens her life and her home, Charlotte will not allow her one true love to be destroyed. Fighting for her adopted coven of rogue monsters, she will do whatever it takes to save them…and she’ll do it before the sun comes up and light takes over forever!
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This book is phenomenal. Shayne captures a world that is entirely new and original. The love story is deep and profound, and lingers with you long after you’ve turned the last page. The characters are so developed, I felt Charlotte and her friends could almost be mine. From the very beginning, the readers are transported to a beautiful European village, and everything is majestic and entrancing. I never wanted to put the book down.
I can’t even begin to express how much I LOVE this cover.
Shayne, bravo to this encore of “Of Light and Darkness.” Fangtastic.
This book is a nice combo of fantasy, action and romance. I had to go and buy the second one in the series, Of Blood and Magic because I had to know what was going to happen next. I can’t wait until the 3rd book in the series comes out!
I loved this book. A great fast-paced that just leaves you wanting to read more.Of Light and Darkness
I want to say, I normally don’t read YA. But I saw this book being recommended on Ticktock of all places as a fantastic paranormal/fated mates series and I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this. Especially for being PG compared to my normal reads.
“Valek, who had found and rescued her from a life of abandonment, was neither man nor monster.”
Valek is a vampire who found an abandoned human baby girl in the human realm and decided to take her in. He was after all lonely for the last 100 years.
“That night, I’d found meaning. I’d found her. I was to be alone no more.”
Fast forward almost 19 years, vampires are getting a really bad reputation and this magical realm full of witches, lycans, elves, and other unworldly beasts coexists are hesitating to keep accepting Valek. They’re also afraid for Charlottes life.
This story is FULL of different characters that at times I had to scroll back and remind myself who that person was and their roll in the story. Some didn’t and they felt like fillers to bulk the story a bit.
However, this story is full of great world building and magic. This author has an extremely creative imagination. I enjoyed reading about transportation spells and memory control leeches.
I know a few comments were sceeved out about this being a taboo/incestious romance. I can assure you it’s 100% NOT that. Valek and Charlotte are not related. Not once does Charlotte call Valek, daddy. They do NOT have a taboo daughter/daddy kink going on. Like at all. This book actually had like 1% steam. Valek sees himself as her ward.
They do love each other. They are fated to each other.
It’s not gross or weird like some comments made it out to be. The author was extremely tasteful in building their relationship as lovers.
With that said, this book is pact full of drama, suspense, and action. It kept building and building and exploded at the end. It leaves off with an HEA for now. Clearly with a second book coming.
4/5
I jumped into this book with the only knowledge of it being a vampire story and something to do with Prague. Living through the Twilight craze, binge-watching True Blood and Vampire Diaries, and devouring all things vampire-related I was eager to dive into another world of paranormal creatures of the night–and boy, was I given ALL * THE * THINGS * (*insert hand clap*)
The world that Leighton created is dark and provocative in the sense that you want to wrap yourself in its culture and never return to the mortal streets you normally dabble in. The Occult city is packed with not just a vampire, but fae, elves, witches, and so much more living among each other in an /almost/ peaceful normality. When Leighton tosses a mortal into the flurry of the night, it alters their entire existence and yet, the creatures simply adore and welcome her.
I LOVED the almost animated Tim Burton feel of the writing and I imagined the story playing out in my head in a mixture of Coraline and Nightmare Before Christmas where things aren’t always as they seem, and yet, you’re totally okay with it because you WANT to be part of it (*TAKE ME TOO VALEK!!*). The love interest was delicate and carefully written filled with luscious passion and desire. And with a twist of character (*grumbles*) you definitely want to hate the villian…even after you may have been “aww” about him in the beginning. Seriously, why you do that!?!
With all that being said, this vampire novel is only book one and I can see the remainder of the series being equally addicting…and just like a simple vampire bite to some mortals…I’ve become addicted and I am off to enchant my own whistle. Dobrou noc and farewell, until we meet at sunset.
“Of Light & Darkness” by Shanye Leighton is a incredible series. A stunning new vision in Vampire fiction. Rich, earthly story telling envelops you in this darkly beautiful world. Charlotte is a heroine for the new generation of Vampire lovers, taking charge of her own destiny as well as the one she loves. This enchanting and captivating love story with take you to new heights of adventure & romance. Valek is the brooding, haunted & devastating sexy vampire of your dreams. This series is amazing and so worth reading. I liked this as much if not more than Twilight.