In Amanda Dykes’ novel, Set the Stars Alight, we receive many wonderful things (and I use the word wonderful intentionally):

A spellbinding cover and excellent title

Beautifully intricate characters with two separate love stories paralleled in two separate times

Lyrical, poetic, dazzling wordsmith-ing which not only describes but evokes feelings from just a turn of phrase.

A historical mystery unfolded in a contemporary setting

An introduction to astronomy which somehow makes the Creator larger and nearer at the same time.

The millions of ways people respond to and desperately long for true belonging

And…through all of this, the simple and beautiful reminder that we can never overestimate the impact on one life- even if the impact is only within a small community- because the breaths and steps and choices can reverberate through time in ways we could never imagine.

This story offered concepts as deep as a galaxy, as bright as the North Star, and as near as moonlight.

I loved it.

Thank you, Amanda, for this journey and this reminder.