Angels are a recent niche interest of mine so you know I had to read White Lights. This adult fantasy is a series starter that will remind you of school and secrets. Keep reading this book review of White Lights for my full thoughts.
Summary
When mysterious Rafe de la Cruz rolls into Desdemona’s life to recruit her to the elite film school Acheron, Dez has no reason to trust him—and no other option. A violent attack has just put her brother in the hospital…and Dez is the only suspect. Guilt-ridden and grieving, she finds herself running from the law to chase her longtime dream of making movies, at a school she’s never heard of. Soon, she’s dropped into Acheron’s cutthroat world of seductive intrigue, power on an otherworldly scale, and deadly competition.
Acheron may seem like the ticket to a future Dez has always wanted, but as she delves deeper into the secret work being done there, she finds herself trapped in an existential conflict on a cosmic scale—with more than her heart on the line.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
For angels, I am always intrigued in when we lose touch with the very ones we are supposed to protect. When we lose touch with humanity, the foibles and mistakes that make humans human. The core of what it means to love without abandon, to throw caution to the wind, and to jump. At the beginning, White Lights examines what we would do for ambition and family. Boy is her family complex. But it quickly turns into a story about sacrifice and what we would do for the truth and the ones we love. I still don’t really necessarily love the romance in White Lights – it’s my least favorite aspect here – as the mystery and world building unfold.
I hate a hot and cold romance arc and this whole “I can’t be with you because of XYZ” but also, “I need you” wasn’t working for me. Also the rationale behind it didn’t vibe with me even though an immortal mortal pairing is always intriguing to me. White Lights has these elements and threads of what I like – the questions of whether a wound, or hardship makes the best art, of the exploration of mortality – but I just wanted a little more. I know this is a series starter, so the jury is out on the whole world building. I am just the type of reader who really enjoys more of a foundation before jumping off, but if you love a romance storyline and the idea of angel school (angels with a bit of callousness) then this is for you.
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Find White Lights on Goodreads, Storygraph, Bookshop. org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.