A Certain Slant of Light (Light #1)

Reader reviewed by Alexandra

Helen has been dead for 130 years. In that time, she hasn't had real, personal contact with any of the Quick, even her five hosts. Until one day, a boy in one of her host's classes starts watching her. Helen is shocked, but drawn to him at the same time. It seems almost intrinsic that the two get to know each other, and fall in love. They begin to explore together the rules of the Quick and the Light, and their own love. But as they learn and remember more about their own lives, as well as the young people who they have possessed, the rules become less clear, while their own destinies, and pasts, become more clear. This wonderfully written, powerful novel, explores love, life, and death, and how the three are eternally intertwined, for both Quick and Light.

Reader reviewed by Sara

"In the class of the English hight school teacher she has been haunting, Helen feels them: For the first time in 130 years, human eyes are looking at her. They belong to a boy who has not seemed remarkable until now. And Helen - terrified, but intrigued - is drawn to him. The fact Helen - terrified, but intrigued - is drawn to him. The fact that he is in a body and she is not presents their first challenge. But as the lovers struggle to find a way to be together, they begin to discover the secrets of their former lives, and of the young people they come to possess."

This story was so much more than a love story. I was first attracted to the book because of its cover but the summary totally roped me in. I loved the idea of this book... Helen was amazing because of her passion for literature which I share as well, causing me to become more able to see through her eyes. In a way I felt that we were kindred spirits. James, the boy she falls in love with, was a great love interest, introducing Helen to new ideas and filling the story with hope and vibrancy.

Reader reviewed by Amanda D.

I loved this book so much that I read it twice in a row. Being a romantic, I loved James and Helen's story. Laura Whitcomb keeps how they do things youthful, yet adult, which was hard to do considering they were in their 20s in a teenager's body. This book is very thought provoking and lovely. I couldn't wait to see if James and Helen ended up together!

Reader reviewed by Stephanie

Helen has been a ghost for over a century. Unseen and unable to communicate with anyone, she attaches herself to various human hosts in order to fight back her own personal hell. But then one day a human boy sees her. It's Billy, but it's not really him; instead, a ghost named James has occupied Billy's body instead. Persuaded by James, Helen occupies the spiritless body of Jenny and finds herself able to touch and sense the world around her. She and James, now in human bodies, develop their romance.

But each teenager's family has problems, and it's up to Helen and James to figure out what happened and right it, so that the spirits of Billy and Jenny can come back. But what will happen to Helen and James when they succeed?

While the plot is incredible, I felt like there was something important missing, and that was characterization. I wasn't able to feel connected with any of the characters. It was like looking at several people's interconnected problems through a glass pane. Thus, sadly, this book did not strike me in any serious way.

Reader reviewed by Jess

I thought this book was very imaginative and it touched me greatly. The story of Helen, an undead spirit, or Light, as she puts it, is far fetched but at the same time, believable. She wanders from host to host, so as not to be dragged back into her horrible hell, a place of cold, dark water.

When her host becomes a high school English teacher, she meets James, one of the humans, or Quick. He was Light, once, but took over the vacated body of a teenage boy named Billy and was living his life. I won't tell you any more, that would spoil the story horribly, I will only say that the two fall deeply in love, but, tragically, cannot be together. I cried at the end, not because it was sad, but because it was beautiful, so beautiful.

Helen is a kind and interseting main character, and the storyline is completely captivating, so I urge you desperately to read this story, you will not regret it, I swear.