This review was written by: B
Received: Ebook from Author
Date of Publication: August 17, 2018
Page Count: 202
Rating: 3.75/5
Official Summary:
For Ricky "Stoli" Branson, the stars were on his side. Social Sinners was headlining their first sold out US tour. Radio stations across the states were playing their songs, and he'd won the heart of the man he loved.
Everything was going great, or so he foolishly believed . . .
When an accident has them burying one of their own and leaves another fighting for his life, Stoli questions his beliefs. Or lack thereof.
"Have faith," his mother tells him. But how can you have faith in something that threatens to take away your only reason for breathing?
My Thoughts:
I loved In the Shadows just as much as I did Behind the Lights, except for completely different reasons. It's in this sequel where the characters truly shine. While we did get a strong sense of what the band members meant to each other in the first book and were introduced to their various personalities, I think In the Shadows does an amazing job of fleshing out what makes each man (Joey, Stoli, Diamond, and Mickey) their own individual. For example, I had no idea Joey could be so shy (shy characters are the cutest!). Despite reading from his perspective previously and getting into his head, I enjoyed that there is still more to him than what we already knew. It's because of these reveals that I'm no longer just a fan of the plot but also of the boys it spotlights. Before, I had little attachment to Mickey or Diamond, but now I'm ecstatic for their stories (especially Diamond's!!!!!). Diamond's sassy qualities are just too good.
In the Shadows literally picks up a second after the ending of Behind the Lights, which I was both nervous and excited for. As a fan, I was anxiously awaiting for Stoli and Joey to finally get together, and once the realization of Stoli's harbored feelings hits Joey, the two's relationship immediately strikes a match. This I thought could quickly turn into a problem. Yes, Stoli's loved Joey for years, and Joey has strong feelings for Stoli. However, if they suddenly got together and had a happily ever after simply because Joey came to terms with Stoli's love five seconds ago then everything would have been too easy and frustrating. Though, I shouldn't have worried, because Travis knew this too. She still made it so that our love interests were a bit trepidatious yet still determined to make their relationship work. Everything wasn't all sunshine and rainbows right out of the gate. There were still a few reassurances that needed to be made and words of encouragement expressed. I thought this was definitely the way to go so that the story felt more believable and ended up being sweeter.
Speaking of sweeter, In the Shadows definitely had more romance going on (yeah!), which I certainly didn't object to. My golly! Ricky and Stoli just couldn't stay away from each other. I fell head over heals for their devotion towards each other and the way Stoli views Joey as his entire world. Is it weird that I kept picturing Samuel Larson (from Glee) as Joey? It felt terribly odd yet absolutely right. Plus, did Diamond's love interest get revealed?! I'm beyond words for how much I want that book. However, for those interested in the process of touring and the band's journey in general that were highlighted in the first book, we absolutely get to continue this adventure, so no need to fear!
I have to give credit to Travis for creating both a fun but serious book. The way the boys joked with each other, taunting their quirks and relationships, while wreaking havoc, made me appreciate them even more. Yet, when the time came, they fiercely had each other's backs. They truly felt like brothers who, while they'd do anything for each other, still played around but all light-heartedly. Their loyalty and commitment warms my heart. When they need each other the most, they have no problem dropping everything and being where they're most needed. In the Shadows reminded me of how great humanity can be. It's so easy to forget the good in people, but the way strangers, friends, and family in this book came together to support the band after the accident was testament to the wonders of both known love and that of fans. I'm glad this carried over from the initial installment.
I have to admit that when I first read the synopsis for In the Shadows, my mind went through the worst case scenarios possible. I was actually speculating which person would die and holding off reading this because I didn't want to find out. (I had a horrible feeling it would be Mickey, but I'm happy to report this was not the case.) I wasn't expecting who this individual would be because of their role, but honestly I'm glad it was them instead of anyone on my list of suspects because I'm not sure if I could have handled that gracefully. (My heart would have been broken.)
One of my only critiques is the dialogue. I have this problem in a lot in books, and it's not isolated to this one novel. (Some might say I bring it up too much. I'm a broken record.) You see, I think a lot of the time specific words or phrases sound okay when spoken aloud in real life or in film. However, I sometimes feel that reading them can be a completely different story, and in some instances, it's possible for them to take on a cringey or awkward property. Thus, I was sometimes thrown from the story because of such wordage (like "baby" or "dude"). Honestly, this was minor in the grand scheme of things.
Before we end this, can we please just take a second to appreciate Brandon? He's a precious cinnamon roll who is just too good. Every single time he comes on the scene, I just gush. How is he so darling?! His interactions with Stoli and Joey are EVERYTHING. Seriously. This is no joke. I'm completely ready for more appearances from him. Give them to me. Pretty please.
