Saturday, April 1, 2017

Shadows

It's the 1st of April which basically means a trip through a very beloved series of mine! In my wrap-up of January, I already spoke of the series and told you that I flew through them. That said, it means a bunch of reviews on them are coming your way. Although I re-read the whole series, the book I'm reviewing today was something new to me. Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout is a prequel novel that was included in the Collector's Edition of Opposition and I hadn't read it until now. 

13183957When Bethany and Dawson see each other for the first time, it was love at first sight. Both constantly think of each other, both constantly look at each other. There's no stopping these two of falling in love and they'll fall hard. What none of them expected was that this would also come with many consequences. Not everyone is who he seems and some will do anything to get disposed of a human...

This is a short prequel novella that I enjoyed but not as much as the entire Lux-series. However I'm really glad that we got to know Bethany and Dawson who will have certain influence on the rest of the series! 

Bethany is a very timid girl that rather paints than talking to humans. I really enjoyed the fact that she was so timid and down to earth because it just shows a contrast with the characters that we'll come across in the Lux-series. It just gives the reader a new personality that's totally new and won't be close to what we'll see in the other characters.

As for Dawson, I really really am keen on the fact that we saw him in this novella. His personality is also very close to Beth's, very calm and kind but down to earth. Also his brother and sister are involved in this novella and seeing the contrast between them all is something readers will enjoy. While Daemon is very hard, angry and mean, we see that Dawson is the kind, relaxed and smiley kind of person which I really enjoyed seeing! 

When the two see each other they immediately hit off and that is also a thing that readers will really appreciate. It's different from the Lux-series and that's a good thing! Readers are in for a very swoon-worthy, lovable and kind read where the two main characters just fall of each other hard. It makes us believe in love at first sight and it's very special to see take place in this short amount of pages.

As for the plot, I'd first like to say that it's a very short novella (179 pages) and therefore also very fast paced. At some point during the book, I really thought it was going a bit too fast. Although I also understand that in that short amount of pages the whole story needs to have taken place. You're in for a very swoon-worthy but very fast read!

What I did really love with this novella was the whole taking place of their relationship. You really saw how it grew from nothing and just staring to a relationship build on trust, kindness, cuteness and love. The most important key word here: trust. Because not everything seems to be like we thought it would be! 

I do think reading this book before the series will clear a lot of things, it's also a very nice book to start the series with since the characters will have influence on the rest of the series. However, I rather read the book after the series than before. Just because of the fact that the mystery we'll have to find out in Obsidian, the first book in the series, is already unraveled even before you start. Shadows just has all the information that you need to find out what's going on in Obsidian and I think readers will enjoy it much more when the first book still has its secrets and mystery! But that's just how I really see it. 

If you read the book before the Lux-series, you'll also notice the whole contrast in it and why it's caused, which I think is a great asset to the prequel. I was also very happy with this contrast because it made the contrast with the characters more visible and it's also nice to see this diversity in the books!

Because of it's high pace, I do think the plot wasn't in for much of action. It was more about how the environment was acting on Beth and Dawson's relationship, which was also something great to explore because of certain reasons. Yet I did miss a bit of action, next to the whole romance part. 
The end of this series does hold action in store of us but it's nothing compared to what we'll see in the other books like in Obsidian!


That said I'd like to conclude this review with saying that this book was a very swoon-worthy and cute read about the beginning of everything. I really was keen on the fact of getting to know Dawson and Bethany better and see how everyone will react on their relationship. Although the book doesn't hold a lot of action and is very high paced, I still really enjoyed the book and fell for their relationship as it was pure and made me believe in love at first sight. Also the fact that love conquers all is something that's very important in this book and will make readers fall in love. You could read this book before the entire Lux-series, although I, personally, have enjoyed it better after reading the Lux-series so there's more mystery in them. This book will clear up a lot of things about the upcoming books and therefore steals a lot of action, thrill and mystery for Obsidian, but it's also a nice book to start a series with if you rather have it that way! Either way, this book is a very romantic prequel that has readers into its grip and will show a big contrast with all other books in the Lux-series!

"I don't think love recognizes differences."

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