Laura’s Review of The Shadows (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #13) by J.R. Ward

Synopsis

Trez

          Two brothers bound by more than blood fight to change a brutal destiny in the heart-wrenching new novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood by #1 New York Times bestselling author J. R. Ward.

         Trez “Latimer” doesn’t really exist. And not just because the identity was created so that a Shadow could function in the underbelly of the human world. Sold by his parents to the Queen of the S’Hsibe as a child, Trez escaped the Territory and has been a pimp and an enforcer in Caldwell, NY for years- all the while on the run from a destiny of sexual servitude. He’s never had anyone he could totally rely on... except for his brother, iAm.

iAm

           iAm’s sole goal has always been to keep his brother from self-destructing- and he knows he’s failed. It’s not until the Chosen Serena enters Trez’s life that the male begins to turn things around... but by then it’s too late. The pledge to mate the Queen’s daughter comes due and there is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and no negotiating.

         Trapped between his heart and a fate he never volunteered for, Trez must decide whether to endanger himself and others- or forever leave behind the female he’s in love with. But then an unimaginable tragedy strikes and changes everything. Staring out over an emotional abyss, Trez must find a reason to go on or risk losing himself and his soul forever. And iAm, in the name of brotherly love, is faced with making the ultimate sacrifice... 

Selena

What I Loved

       

Catra/ maichen

         I’ve cried in the past, reading books in this series but I have never been so completely and totally gutted like I have after reading this one.  I was a little hesitant reading The Shadows because Trez and iAm just never really intrigued me like many of the other characters have in this series, but I was excited to get my hands on another Black Dagger story.  I wasn’t expecting to become so engrossed in Trez and Selena’s happiness, clamoring to find out how all this was going to end.  I also wasn’t expecting to fall so much in love with Trez and iAm and feel so invested in their happiness as well.  But I was instantly sucked in and thrown back into this world and I loved every minute of it.

          There were so many things to love but what stood out for me other than the obvious was that we got to see more Rhage and Mary again.  They haven’t been active characters in a lot of the books so I missed them a lot.  It totally put a smile on my face to see how their relationship has grown and progressed over the years and how they’ve made a life for each other. 

          I think what I loved most about this book was the overall message of family. As each story develops another member is added to this group, to see them all in one scene was overwhelming. So many of these books have showed how each person has each other’s back, but I don’t think it has ever been driven home so much until you read The Shadows.  To know that there are all these people who have your back, who will protect you and lift you up was so amazing to see and so touching.  The Shadows not only made me fall in love with Trez and iAm, but each and every single character that lives in that mansion.

Not So Much

          Since this is a 5 star review this will only be a couple of sentences.  I really have nothing negative to say about this story.  Obviously there was a lot of progression with Trez and iAm’s storyline but some of the other story lines have kind of stalled, like Assail and Marisol’s story.  I’m hoping that those might be the center storylines in the future though so it’s not completely a negative.

To Sum It All Up!

          I don’t think a book has just completely devastated me before like this story did.  My heart shattered at a certain point and left me with a huge book hangover, so much so I couldn’t fall asleep afterwards.  This is not your typical love story like many of the other ones in the Black Dagger Brotherhood, so the reader should be prepared for that. I understand why this upset people but I can’t knock an author for following through where he or she felt the storyline should go. 

Even with all the tears I shed, I still laughed at times (thanks Lassiter) and smiled at others.  There’s some pretty amazing love scenes and I’m not just talking about ones that involved sex, there were many that just expressed utter and deep devotion that I loved.  Like I said before The Shadows really brought the meaning of family home for me and even though this was a story I wasn’t exactly looking forward to I will always cherish it.  I can’t wait to see what happens next, I will say I’m especially anxious for Xcor and Layla’s story and I think I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Assail so I can’t wait for his story either.  Be prepared for heart break and get your tissue boxes ready, but I hope like me this story leaves you with a smile on your face.