Shadow of Light, the second installment of Molly E. Lee’s Ember of Night Trilogy. How does it compare to the first book?

Shadow of Light
Molly E. Lee
November 30, 2021
Entangled: Teen

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Blurb: I just saved the boy I’m falling for from a gruesome death by a demon. And what does he have to say? I’m the key to opening the gates of Hell. I mean, a thank-you would’ve been nice. Or another scorching-hot, forbidden kiss. Either way, destiny will have to find someone else to torment, because I’m so done.

Or I was, until my little sister starts cackling exorcist-style and stares at me with eyes that aren’t hers. They’re Marid’s, the Greater Demon I just kicked back to the dark realm he came from. Possessing Ray whenever he wants is his ultimate revenge.

The only way to break the tether between them includes a road trip through Hell, aka the Ather. I quickly discover nothing is as it seems in this place. Yeah, there are realms of terror, greed, and desire, but there’s also peace, and a beauty I never knew existed…and it’s eerily familiar.

With each obstacle we encounter, I slip a little further into the chaotic energy of my growing dark powers. And when an unexpected betrayal hits me square in the chest, I freefall into them.

Fate painted me as the monster of nightmares, and after this? Destiny is about to learn just how monstrous I can be.

Purchase Link:
Amazon | Shop your local indie bookstore

When I wrote my review for Molly E. Lee’s Ember of Night, I drew a comparison between the main character, Harley, and Buffy Summers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame due to Harley’s tenacity and resilience. Much to my joy, in Shadow of Light, Harley acquires her own interesting Scooby gang, just like Buffy’s, as she goes on a mission to save her little sister, Ray, from demonic possession.

At the beginning of Shadow of Light, the sequel to cliff-hanging Ember of Night, Harley due to a steel strong connection with Draven, brings him back from death and Hell–much to both of their amazements. We see that Harley’s powers continue to grow. Disturbingly, however, one evening Marid possesses Ray. Ever the protector of her little sister, Harley is determined to find a way to get Marid’s link to Ray severed once and for all.

The action is almost non-stop as Harley and her Scooby gang tour a version of the underworld that is nothing like Harley anticipated. Indeed, it feels quite a bit like an episode of Star Trek or Star Wars with colorful aliens rather than any vision of “hell”—I am not complaining. I enjoyed this bit of world building.

The romance between Harley and Draven felt a little forced, maybe because at this point it just feels boring. It’s kind of like when couples get together in sitcoms and then, there goes the sitcom to its ugly death. Ooops. Tangent.

Ignoring the Harley-Draven romance, I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of Shadow of Light, which kept me on the edge of my seat. It did, however, end in—you guessed it—a cliff-hanger. 🙁 This time though, I know when the next book is coming out (Spark of Ash, May 24, 2022) and will be reviewing it soon.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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