Shadows

Author: JL Armentrout
Format: ebook
Print Length: 180 pages
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Published: Feb. 20, 2012

The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane. Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable.

Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in. Captivated. Lured. Loved.

Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence…and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.

My Thoughts

I will be honest; I was not thrilled when Shadows was released.  I even waited a few weeks before getting my own copy and hankering down to read it.  Maybe it was that it had no Katy in it.  Or is could have been that Daemon was not the main male character.  Although kudos to Jennifer for putting some of the scenes in Daemon’s point of view.  But for some reason, I was reluctant.  It could be that I already knew the sad ending and did not want to cry.  So I put it off until my TBR pile had dwindled into nothingness.  On a quite, yet rainy night I climbed into my reading chair and opened Shadows up. 

Bethany takes Dawson by surprise on the day that she arrives at school.  He had just finished a fight with the Arum and was already completing changing a few things in his life.  Bethany’s family had moved to West Virginia to help take care of her distant yet very sick uncle.   Now I am not a fan of love at first sight stories.  Heck, even Katy makes fun of books that have this in them.  But for some reason it is almost believable in this novella.  Maybe it is due to already being introduced to their sad story in Obsidian. 

Dawson and Bethany fall in love rather quickly.  Their love is put to the test before it even blooms though- by other aliens.  Not the Arum though, but instead by Dawson’s very own friends.  While Dawson is different from Daemon in many ways, he is still very protective of those he loves- namely Bethany and Dee.  When Andrew and Ashley try to get to Bethany, Dawson’s fierceness comes into play.  Man, I did not think that he had it in him. 

If you had read Obsidian, you know how Dawson and Bethany’s love story ends.  What you did not know though was Dee and Daemon’s reaction to the news.  It is here that my emotional journey comes turbulent.  Both of their reactions are heartbreaking.  Daemon shouldering the blame, and vowing to protect his sister at all cost had me weeping my eyes out.

Shadows was a great way to appease the passionate fans of the Lux series.  Used as a buffer between Obsidian and Onyx, the wait between the two books somehow seemed less than that of other series.  More importantly though it allowed those fans insight into the motivation behind the aliens’ desires to avoid relationships with humans.

My Ratings 4 out of 5 stars

Other Characters

Daemon- Dawson’s older brother, by four minutes.  Very protective, extremely hot-headed.
Dee- Dawson’s younger sister, by a few minutes.  Very outgoing and accepting, just wants her brothers happy.
Andrew- Another Lux who hates that Dawson is into with Bethany.
Ashley- Andrew’s sister, who is well spiteful and mean to Bethany.