Demon Lights (Blackwater Lights Trilogy) by Michael M. Hughes

Title: Demon Lights

Author: Michael M. Hughes

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Hydra

Date of publication: May 23rd, 2017

Genre: Paranormal, Horror

Number of pages: 253

POV: 3rd person

Series: Blackwater Lights Trilogy

Demon Lights – Book 3

Where you can find Demon Lights: Barnes and Nobles| Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

From the cult-favorite author of Blackwater Lights comes the finale to a dark paranormal horror trilogy in the cosmic horror vein of H. P. Lovecraft.

The world is collapsing. Governments have fallen, and anarchy reigns. Yet a greater danger looms imprisoned in ancient objects from distant space: bodiless aliens with an all-consuming thirst for freedom . . . and human blood.

They have a strong ally in Lily, a powerful sorceress, and leader of a globe-spanning cult. In an isolated compound deep in the frozen north, Lily cultivates a group of children whose paranormal abilities can be harnessed to unleash the alien apocalypse. Now she has acquired the final pieces to the puzzle: a gifted young boy named William and his mother, Ellen, whose safety is the bargaining chip Lily needs to compel the child’s obedience.

Once again, William and Ellen’s last hope is Ray Simon. Every time Ray and Lily have crossed paths, she has come out on top, and even now she is one step ahead. But this time Ray is not alone. Accompanied by Claire and Mantu—devotees of the enigmatic Brotherhood of Eleusis, who possess psychic abilities of their own—Ray sets off on a desperate mission of rescue and revenge. Only the fate of humanity itself hangs in the balance.

My review:

This is my first book that I have read from Michael M. Huges and I got to say, I really enjoyed reading Demon Lights. It struck the perfect balance between horror, science fiction, and action. I couldn’t put the book down and I think I read it within a couple of hours. Any book that engrosses me that much is a keeper. The fact that it is the 3rd book in the Blackwater Lights Trilogy didn’t dampen my enthusiasm for Demon Lights. If you have followed my blog for any length of time, you know how much I dislike picking up a book mid-series or even the end. Demon Lights could be read alone if needed to. While the past books were mentioned (and piqued my interest) but they did not overwhelm this one. Just enough background was given to understand the main characters and how they came into the situations that they were in. Then the book takes off.

I really enjoyed the build up in Demon Lights. While the aliens were mentioned, they were not shown until the end of the book. Even then, it was a glimpse of what could be coming through the portals and it was deliciously creepy/scary. And I loved it!!

Ray was on a mission to free Ellen and William from Lily’s compound. But before he did that, he was basically forced to become a Brother of Eleusis, which was the counterpart to Lily’s cult. While I wouldn’t call it a cult outright (I really need to read the other books before forming that opinion) but it did have a cult feel to it. But they were willing to help him rescue Ellen and William…for a price. He needs to defeat Lily. Which is easier said than done.

I couldn’t even begin to imagine what Ellen was going through being held captive by Lily and not being able to see or talk to her son. It had to have been torture. Her escape attempt with her roommate was pretty awesome but it had severe repercussions when they were captured. I still don’t understand how she didn’t lose her mind permanently after seeing what she was seeing. I know I would have.

William was the one I was the most worried about in this book. He was in a school with other children who had paranormal abilities and he was in danger of failing. He was promised he could talk to his mother if he started doing better in class (which he did but only after a pep talk with a girl who told him what might happen to kids who fail). He was still scarred from what happened in the previous book and was afraid that would happen again. While he was confirming to what the school (and Lily) wanted, he still kept hope that he could see his mother again (or at least talk to her). But things went off on a tangent when all but 9 kids were **sent home** and the remaining children were put into advanced classes. What they learned and what they eventually did….well, read the book.

The end of the book was thrilling and not what I expected. While I expected some of the ending, the other part of the ending, I did not. With the way the book ended, I am hoping that there will be another book.

Demon Light’s Playlist

We Carry On – The Phantoms

I Trust You To Kill Me – Rocco DeLuca and The Burden

Be Not So Fearful – A.C. Newman

How Do You Love Me – Sango, Xavier Omar

Wasting My Young Years – London Grammar

Shout At The Devil – Motley Crue

Take Me To Church – Hozier

I Keep Ticking On – The Harmleighs

Lost Boy – Ruth B.

Kill Of The Night – Gin Wigmore

God of Wine – Third Eye Blind