Realms of Light by Sandra Fernandez Rhoads

My Review

Realms of Light by Sandra Fernandez Rhoads is a YA Contemporary Fantasy novel and the sequel to Mortal Sight. I reviewed the first of this series last year and I highly suggest you read it first before reading Realms of Light.

In this book, we learn a lot more about Cera’s family and her place in the world. She’s got to make some tough decisions, ones that could get her killed but that, ultimately, will keep everyone she loves alive. And she rises to the occasion (if you read the book you know why I italicized that word).

Her decisions remind me quite a bit of real life, actually. As Christians, we must make moment-by-moment decisions not to sin. We live in a gray world, treading the line, with the hope that one day we’ll be able to see the light. And let me just say that Ms. Fernandez Rhoads has done a beautiful job weaving that throughout the novel. It really was a joy to read.

And can we talk about Milton, Machiavelli, and all the wonderful artists included in the novel? As a person with a degree in Art History, I was giddy with happiness with the mention of each artwork. Ms. Fernandez Rhoads did an enormous amount of research for this novel and it shows. Her descriptions are accurate but it’s her unique twist to fit them into the narrative that makes them even more interesting.

By the way, Milton Dictating Paradise Lost to His Daughters by Delacroix does actually exist! It would be helpful for those who wanted to know more about the artworks mentioned if an appendix had been added to the end of the book. A tinynitpick but only because it took time away from actually reading to go look them up again.

This book is an excellent read for older teens through adults. I’d say younger teens but there are a few kissing scenes, some suggestions at drunkenness and drug use, and a knife attack. However, there’s not a lot of violence, despite a big battle scene. The included art and poetry are integral to the story but can be enjoyed outside of it too. Highly recommended!

My GoodReads Rating: ★★★★★  It was amazing!

About the Book

Book:  Realms of Light

Author: Sandra Fernandez Rhoads

Genre: Christian YA Contemporary Fantasy

Release date: April 13, 2021

From the Ashes, Spring Will Rise

On the run from the brutal Sage and his army of Legions and Cormorants, seventeen-year-old Cera Marlowe knows the only place strong enough to protect her is the Alliance Council Estate.

Cera’s introduction to the Estate is far from welcoming. As a Blight, her dueling powers of light and darkness make her a half-breed threat to the Alliance’s sacred powers. Cera’s ability to decipher hidden messages in classical artwork buys her shelter temporarily, but the clock is ticking as she’s faced with a daunting choice that could cost her everything.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Sandra Fernandez Rhoads is the author of Mortal Sight. She is a Cuban-Colombian living in Dallas, Texas with her husband and four children. She has a deep love for the artist community, and is an active part of Art House Dallas and the Fort Worth Writer’s group. She holds an M.A. in English with a focus on John Milton and has an insatiable love for coffee, laughter, and adventure. And dinosaurs.

More From Sandra

What if there was an unseen war affecting our everyday world, but only a few could see the battle? And what if the secrets to this other realm and winning the war were embedded in classical art and literature?

These questions led me to the ideas that formed the Colliding Line duology, and final installment in the series, Realms of Light—the story about a select group of emerging artists called the Awakened that are given unique powers to help combat the forces of evil.

The protagonist, a young girl named Cera Marlowe, quickly took the lead in the first draft of the story. On a quest for her identity, she steps into her destiny by joining a community of unlikely warriors who would need to overcome great odds, learn to work together, and battle their past in order to defeat the enemy.

The story took more than five years to write and the first draft was over 180k words. The use of classical art emerged slowly over that time. But the verses from John Milton’s Paradise Lost fit seamlessly from the start, paralleling the fight for truth, identity, and war in our fallen world.

At its core, the story is about embracing the past to help shape our future. My hope is that readers see classical art and literature in a new way, and find their own creativity as a much-needed gift to the world.

Blog Stops

Rebecca Tews, April 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 29

Texas Book-aholic, April 30

Inklings and notions, May 1

Woven by Words, May 1

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 2

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, May 3

Genesis 5020, May 3

For the Love of Literature, May 4

For Him and My Family, May 5

Wishful Endings, May 6

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, May 7

Through the Fire Blogs, May 7

deb’s Book Review, May 8

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 9

Blogging With Carol, May 10

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, May 10

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 11

April Hayman, Author, May 11

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, May 12

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sandra is giving away the grand prize package of $40 Christianbook.com gift card, custom Bookmark, custom signed bookplate, custom Realms of Light notebook, and library book pattern book / tablet sleeve!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/10b5d/realms-of-light-celebration-tour-giveaway