‘Ixion’s not a place for friends. They die or they leave. On Ixion you need allies.’

Title: Shine Light, Night Creatures #3
Author: Marianne de Pierres
Publication: November 1, 2012 by Random House Australia
Format, pages: Paperback, 239
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Dystopia
My Rating:  

From Goodreads:

Ixion. The island of ever-night.

If she had a choice, Naif wouldn’t go back. But her friends will die if she doesn’t find a cure for the badges that are slowly killing them, and her brother is there, fighting against the Ripers who hold everyone in thrall. And Naif has knowledge that might save them all.

First she must solve the mystery of Ixion’s eternal night. Then she must convince everyone – rebels and revellers alike – to join her cause. And all the while, she must fight the urge to go to Lenoir – her greatest love, her mortal enemy.

The secrets of Ixion must be revealed. The evils must be stopped. A new dawn will come.

When you get a book, begin reading immediately, and devour it within a matter of hours, then that book must be juicy and gripping and excellent. Shine Light was one of those books. After reading Burn Bright and Angel Arias last year, all I wanted to do was find out how everything concluded – Naif’s conquest, the Ripers’ ruination, the night creatures’ survival… and Ixion’s illumination. I wanted to know more, experience more, discover more; and I sure did get more than I had hoped.

Shine Light was a fantastic final instalment in the Night Creatures series. If you had any questions or speculations from the previous two books then have no fear. Answers slowly come to light as we journey from Ruzalia’s airship to Danskoi, beginning to end. Have you ever wondered why Ixion was forever, eternally in darkness? Shine light, burn bright, and READ THIS BOOK, baby bats, because then you will learn why. Marianne de Pierres bleeds the pages of Shine Light with wonder, pleasure, knowledge… and most of all, hope for a brighter world.

In Shine Light Naif and those she befriended along the way in Burn Bright and Angel Arias return to Ixion to uncover the many secrets and mysteries that have been buried beneath the feet of its ignorant and carousing youth and veiled behind a sky of darkness. As Naif and crew learn about the truths of Ixion, so does the reader – truths continue to spring from the pages, like mice triggering traps for some wanted goodness they rarely ever come across. And once Naif and co. do, they use their new-found knowledge to bring good, hope, and light to Ixion.

This series has a splendid cast of characters; each character changes in ways we do not expect them to, especially in Shine Light. I loved the addition of Liam in Angel Arias, and to learn more about him and the person he is – or was – in Shine Light was great, as well as his relationship with Suki (Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!) and the overarching role he played/s in Ixion’s past, present and future. One character that changed considerably was Lenoir. Lenoir sacrificed a lot to help Naif and company achieve what they set out to do, even if it harmed him. After all, there is no good without sacrifice. And sacrifice he sure did. And Naif and Jarrod and Emilia… all the feels!

Shine Light was complete; the Night Creatures series is complete. However, when I reached the end of this book I was a bit surprised. Sure, I was surprised at everything that happened in the last thirty or so pages, but I was really surprised at how fast the final pages and climax was; it came and it went. I just wish there was more conflict, that it was drawn out, and that there was something… more. It concluded all too fast considering how much of the book focused on uncovering the truths and righting them. It ended great, just not the great I was expecting. But I still really, really enjoyed it! And the very end – I. Loved. It! I continue to wonder what happens next (I found it quite reminiscent of The Phantom of the Opera, however that is just my interpretation). If there’s ever an opportunity to return to Ixion, I’ll be there with streamers in my hands and bells on my feet.

Other books in the series:

• Burn Bright (March, 2011)
• Angel Arias (October, 2011)
• Shine Light (November, 2012)

Don’t miss the upcoming Shine Light Blog Tour – With A Difference!