Her thoughts struggled to accept what had happened. Somehow the power of the stone had transported her into the body of a stranger. She was seeing through another’s eyes. The scene in front of her lurched again, making Winter feel like a passenger trapped in a speeding car, and she was suddenly standing over a pool of dark water. The light of the candles shimmered along the surface, softly illuminating the pale reflection she saw there. If she had a mouth it would have fallen open in silent shock.
The reflection in the water belonged to Blake.
Blake is gone. He died in order to protect Winter, and now she is alone, haunted by dreams of everything that happened. But the lodestone around her neck, her token of Blake, is acting strangely, and she is being taunted with visions of Blake, alive, but imprisoned. Is it possible? She saw him die – yet these visions are frighteningly real. If Blake is alive, Winter will stop at nothing to find and save him
Winter’s Light is the excellent sequel to Winter’s Shadow, though stands enough alone for new readers to engage with. Set in a unique paranormal world inhabited by beings unique to this series – the Skivers, the Demori and the Bane making a refreshing, though frightening, change to the werewolves and vampires so popular in recent paranormal offerings. At the same time though, the quest, the strong female protagonist, the modern world meets alternate reality, are all familiar elements teen paranormal fans will enjoy.
In places dark and frightening, this is an absorbing read suitable for teen readers.
Winter’s Light, by M.J. Hearle
Pan Macmillan, 2012
ISBN 9781742611037
Available from good bookstores or online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.