ARC Review: ‘In The Garden of Light and Shadow’ by Cerece Rennie Murphy
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Grey's Promotions in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
In The Garden of Light and Shadow: The Chronicles of Ada St. James
by Cerece Rennie MurphyPublished by LionSky Publishing on October 15, 2024
SubGenres: Romantic Fantasy, Fantasy
Format: eArc
Pages: 328
Source: Grey's Promotions
Audience: 18+/Adult
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4000 years ago, a rebellion in the Ever brought angels to live among us.
At first, they were worshiped as gods.
But that was not enough.
And in their hunger for power,
Evil claimed their hearts
and made them demons.
Lilavois St. James rose to fight them.
As a member of the Sisters of Light, she swore an oath to use the magic of the moon to battle the demons and defend humankind.
Until one day, she met a demon and fell in love.
And I was born.
My name is Ada St. James, and these are the chronicles of how I came to be and the destiny of power and redemption that awaits me.
In the Garden of Light and Shadow: The Chronicles of Ada St. James is the first book I’ve ever read from Cerece Rennie Murphy, and it definitely won’t be my last. This was a different Romantic Fantasy story that was unlike any other book out there. The world-building is fantastic, and the characters are well-developed and memorable. In addition to the main characters, there are several other characters to keep track of, so be prepared to get to know a lot of them.
It’s separated into two parts. The first part focuses on Lilavois St. James and how she’s learning to become a member of the Sisterhood of the Light. She ends up befriending and falling in love with a demon named Raziel, who is are enemy of the sisterhood, but Raziel is different from other demons. The second part of the book focuses on Ada St. James and how she plays a significant role in the battle between good and evil.
I loved the first half of the book just as much as the second half. The first part is a forbidden romance storyline and I always enjoy reading this trope in stories. It is a slow burn, but it’s so worth reading the tension built up between Lilavois and Raziel. I loved getting to know the Sisterhood of the Light and how they are battling with the demons. I loved the second half of the book, too, and how Ada played a major role in the storyline, even though Lilavois kept secrets from her at first, for her own good.
I did have one issue after finishing it, and if there will be more in this world because I felt like the ending was a cliffhanger. I hope there is more to come because I enjoyed living in this fictional world that Cerece Rennie Murphy created. Overall, I give this book four stars. I’m glad I found it because I need more good vs. evil type books like this one and to check out other books by this author.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. This book is perfect for readers who enjoy reading Romantic Fantasies.
What to Expect:
✓Enemies to Lovers
✓Forbidden Romance
✓Opposites Attract
✓Good vs. Evil
✓Disability Rep
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About Cerece Rennie Murphy
Cerece Rennie Murphy is the national bestselling and award-winning author of ten novels, children’s books, and short stories. She is also the founder of Virtuous Con, an online science fiction and comic culture convention that celebrates the excellence of BIPOC creators in speculative fiction, across the mediums of fiction, comics, film, and visual arts.
Ms. Murphy first fell in love with science fiction at the age of seven, watching Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back at the Uptown Theater in Washington, D.C., with her sister and Mom. It’s a love affair that has grown ever since. As an ardent fan of John Donne, Alice Walker, Kurt Vonnegut, Maya Angelou, and Alexander Pope, Ms. Murphy began exploring her creative writing through poetry at the age of eleven. As an adult, she earned her master’s degrees in social work and international relations at Boston College and Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies, respectively, and has built a rewarding career in program development and fundraising in the community, environment, and international development arenas – all while appreciating the stories of human connection told in science fiction through works like Octavia Butler’s “Wild Seed,” Frank Herbert’s “Dune”, and “The X-Files.”
In 2010, Ms. Murphy experienced her own supernatural event - a vision of her first original science fiction story. Shortly after, she began developing and writing what would become the bestselling Order of the Seers trilogy, which was voted one of the best Kindle Books of 2014 by Digital Book Today. Through the framework of character-driven, action-packed narratives, her work explores essential themes of individual identity, personal power, and how these discoveries can be used to improve our community and our world
Ms. Murphy is the recipient of Black Pearls Magazine’s Author of the Year Award for Children’s Literature, the National Best Sellers designation from the African American Literature Book Club (AALBC), and the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA)’s Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award for significant contributions to the science fiction, fantasy, and related genres community. Created in 2008, Ms. Murphy joins the ranks of distinguished previous Solstice Award winners, including Petra Mayer, Carl Sagan, Octavia Butler, and Gardner Dozois.
Ms. Murphy lives and writes just outside her hometown of Washington, DC with her family.
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