YA review: In The Shadows by Julieanne Lynch
File Size: 510 KB
Publisher: Strict Publishing International; 2 edition (July 20, 2011)
Blurb: “In The Shadows”, the first of The Shadows trilogy, is an urban fantasy of vampires and the supernatural, and much, much more. In the shadows you will find lust and passion, battles for power and for blood, and death and fear around every corner. In the shadows you are carried away to an unknown future. Your destiny awaits, and you are no longer who you thought you were. You have a thirst, for blood perhaps, but a thirst for very much more than that.
Giselle was a normal girl with an attitude common to most girls of her age. Her family might not have been perfect (whose is?) but she loved them, and her future looked bright. She had an awesome best friend and a steady boyfriend, but how could she possibly have been so wrong about someone she loved? And how could she have been prepared for the darkness and for what she was to become?
Our review: In The Shadows was an interesting read with a cast of intriguing characters. Unfortunately, I didn't care much for the main heroine, teen Giselle who finds her life turned upside down after embarrassing her cheating boyfriend at a dance. After a while her whining ways became bothersome. She seemed to move from one depressing situation to another and as for her love life, she certainly was fickle falling for one guy after another (Marc, Alec) and even an adult vampire (Leonid). I know Gothic novels have their brooding characters and dark settings but I still expected Giselle to stop playing the victim all the time.
As for the writing, Lynch's style was easy to read and flowed. There were a few instances where I had to reread a scene to figure out why something happened or who had spoken (for instance, the woods scene after the prom I found confusing). Some scenes needed more details and fleshing out some of the major players' motives would have helped me grow more comfortable with the story. I wasn't convinced of Giselle's set-up for embarrassing her boyfriend, Marc, since their relationship lacked depth and a foundation to believe in before it was destroyed. As for Giselle being the "chosen" one to help the vampires continue on their bloodline, I needed information on the "what" and "why" (which may be explained in the next installment).
The pacing was quick, perhaps too quick in parts which led to my confusion, but by chapter eleven, I fell into a reading groove with this story. My favorite character was Antoine, a vampire who makes an oath to keep Giselle safe. With the cliffhanger ending between Giselle and Antoine, I expect to see more of him in the next installment.
Rating: I enjoyed it.
Favorite excerpt: (Scene with Antoine) "“Now, when I say run, you run straight ahead. You don‟t stop. You keep going. Don't look back, okay? Never look back,” he ordered.
“But... I‟m scared,” I choked.
“Now is not the time for cowardice. Giselle, do you trust me?” he asked, taking my hand in his.
“Well, yeah.”
“Then do as I say.”
"Okay."
Cover comment: The photo is okay but the type is too large and distracts from the couple.
Book source: From the author for my honest review during a book tour.
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