The Shadows (Black Dagger Brotherhood #13) by J.R. Ward
This is an adult paranormal romance novel (Rated NC-17)
♥♥♥♥1/2
(Four and a Half Shadow Hearts)
Book Summary
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’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...
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’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...
My Review
I enjoyed this book for the most part. I enjoyed seeing life through Selena’s eyes. I didn’t think I would like this book about the Shadows. I just didn’t care all that much about them. I love the brothers and there are so many characters, it’s hard to love them all equally.
However, Ward knows her audience. Much like Quinn and Blay (sorry for spelling, I listen to the book not read), book there is so much other going on that it doesn’t feel really like the Shadows book at all.
But in the end, Ward made the Shadows very interesting and I found myself very intrigued with them. I always wondered if iAm was gay and we get our answer in this story. She also made a bit of joke about that (him being gay or not) in the story. My guess is Ward herself didn’t know his sexual orientation until this book.
Also, I was left wondering if Trez and iAm would be like Phurry and Zadist. Would iAm continue to be the sexless martyr like Phurry was to Zdasist. And Ward makes a joke about that too. I will say that the outcome of the Shadow twins is different than the outcome of the brotherhood twins.
One of the best parts is that all the brothers make an appearance in this story. But one in particular. Rhage hasn’t had a second storyline like some of the other brothers. And he is very much in the forefront of this book. So much so, I worried for his safety.
Vishous, my absolute favorite brother, also makes several appearance but not as much as Rhage. Quinn and Layla show up. My secret wish was that Layla would tell Quinn what she hungered for. And since Blay and Quinn shared women in the past we would get some much needed threesome action going on, lol. But that’s never going to happen much to my dismay.
Someone new makes an appearance and I think of John’s storyline when he shows up. Lucas is in the story and I thought that he and Precious (I think that’s her name) might get together. I won’t say whether or not it happened.
And if Layla was in the book, you know Xcor was there. And well, I want to beat both of them with an honesty stick to get their shit together. All I can say is that they both should start telling the truth.
While reading, I worried because people talked about controversy. And I did my best to stay away from spoilers, which was a good thing. I will say I had a hard time with what happens in the story when it happens. But there was enough story left that I had a chance to simmer down before the story was over. So I’m okay, sad but okay.
Overall, another great installment of the brotherhood. So much is going on; I wish there had been more pages. Oh well.
Audio Review
Jim has read this book from the beginning I think. So I wonder why he changed some of the pronunciations. I don’t read this book, so when he starting calling Xcor (Core instead of Score) for a while I didn’t know who he was talking about. Then he called John’s mate Hex instead of Zexs. I get that a shadow also was called Zexs (pronounced that is), but for a while I was left wondering who Hex was and had my memory left out someone.
My book boyfriend Trez (& iAm) they are twins.
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