Praise
I've always struggled to get into a book, always getting distracted easily and eventually given up. But this hands down is one of my favourite books I've ever read and needs so much more exposure.
It took me 8 hours to read the whole thing, and I was struggling to put it down. The characters are well fleshed out and addicting to read, I feel like a fly on the wall to some seriously wild drama. Without spoiling anything (hopefully) i obsessed with the narrative differences between the chapters/characters and I absolutely cannot wait for what Amy brings to us in her future tales. If youre lucky enough to come across this book, it's a literal hidden gem
Shadows and Light, what is real and what is not? An intriguing tale that mixes reality with imagination and probably a touch of mental health issues as well. Ya know how you feel when you wake up from dream and you are not sure what was real and what wasn't? That is how this book made me feel, yet, I could not put it down. Clearly a journey for the characters to figure themselves out before they could be who they needed to be for each other.
Amy L. van Rijthoven’s *Shadows and Black in the Light* is a hauntingly beautiful work of speculative fiction that explores themes of family, loss, and self-discovery. The story follows Millie, a young woman navigating the grief of her father’s death and the emotional strain of her mother’s mental illness. As she uncovers long-buried secrets from her father's past, Millie is drawn into a world where reality blurs and unexpected connections reshape her understanding of herself and those around her. With vivid characters, atmospheric settings, and a plot full of emotional twists, van Rijthoven crafts a deeply moving and thought-provoking narrative that lingers long after the final page.