If you are a fan of Stranger Things and the unseen cosmic horrors of H.P. Lovecraft, then “By The Light of Dead Stars” is 100% for you.

However, it’s the human element that really steals the show in BTLODS.

Why? Because protagonist Zelda Ruiz'’s trauma remains grounded in a reality that we all know. The trauma of having and losing.

A beautiful speculative dark fantasy novel that deals with the ramifications of generational trauma and parental abuse that pits our protagonist Pyet against the truth of her mother’s words and the hidden secrets of Elric.

This book was not what I expected, and because of my lack of knowledge regarding religious history, I actually learned a TON, which was a neat bonus. But what Lutton does exceedingly well is to have two dichotomous characters butt heads over their convictions regarding confession and forgiveness.

This has all the makings of a perfect spooky season read. It’s fast-paced, unsettling, twisted, and delivers a heart-wrenching take on the vampiric monster mythos.