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A review by bookish_notes
Overexposed by Megan Erickson
5.0
This is the last book in the In Focus books by Megan Erickson, and this book just did me in. This was a stab-me-straight-through-the-heart kind of book because I cannot see myself reading another sad book right after this. It's not even a really sad, sad book? It's just heavy material and add the fact that it's the last of the series...and the epilogue just packs a punch.
SO. Overexposed is told mainly from Levi Grainger's POV. We met Levi briefly in Out of Focus who had been cast as an effeminate gay reality star on a show called Trip League. I loved Levi in the last book since he was so amazing to help out Quinn and Jay and I was looking forward to reading this book.
This book starts out with Levi starting his months-long journey to hike the Appalachian Trail by himself - as sort of a farewell/dedication to his sister. His sister had been deployed overseas where she'd been killed and this was the trip they had planned on taking together. It isn't long before he happens upon Thad, a mysterious man who doesn't seem to say much. Thad holds his secrets close and Levi's okay with that. He's not exactly looking to just have a heart-to-heart with a stranger he met while hiking. They're both looking for something on their journey that will make them feel like it was worth it, but they're not sure what that end result is supposed to be.
We don't really get to see the story from Thad's POV. It does add a bit of mystery only knowing the story from Levi's POV, and that's okay. It's very similar to Focus On Me with Colin and Riley. We get to see glimpses into Thad's thoughts and feelings on Levi through his brief text exchanges with someone named 'M'.
Can I also say that I am not an outdoorsy person? This is really terrible of me, I know, but the most I can deal with being outside is probably shopping around an outlet mall or walking around a theme park with the comfort of an A/C and restrooms within a comfortable walking distance? This book, however, is strangely inspiring and actually makes me want to try hiking and go to the Appalachian Trails and be one with nature. So if I sudden disappear from posting reviews for a while, maybe I've gone hiking. This entire series makes me want to travel the country by car and go out into nature. This entire series has been an very uplifting and inspiring.
So, the romance...there is sexual tension from Levi and Thad from the beginning and they are hot together. But this isn't a light story. There are a few jokes that had me laughing, but there's just this sense of loss that comes and goes in the story as Levi remembers his sister and tries to find some sort of happiness wherever he can. I don't think it burdens the story, but it definitely adds a sort of weight to the story that makes me connect to it more.
I love Levi and Thad. I thought I had Thad all figured out, but I was only half right. Their words and their feelings just really cuts into me emotionally. Maybe I'm writing this review while I'm still feeling a little too raw from the book. I'm just absolutely overwhelmed with all sorts of feelings from having read this series of books back-to-back (in the best possible way, of course). They all work as standalone novels, this was especially so, but I would recommend all the books in the In Focus series by Megan Erickson, because there's so much heart in each of the characters that I would very much love to read there stories again and again.
SO. Overexposed is told mainly from Levi Grainger's POV. We met Levi briefly in Out of Focus who had been cast as an effeminate gay reality star on a show called Trip League. I loved Levi in the last book since he was so amazing to help out Quinn and Jay and I was looking forward to reading this book.
This book starts out with Levi starting his months-long journey to hike the Appalachian Trail by himself - as sort of a farewell/dedication to his sister. His sister had been deployed overseas where she'd been killed and this was the trip they had planned on taking together. It isn't long before he happens upon Thad, a mysterious man who doesn't seem to say much. Thad holds his secrets close and Levi's okay with that. He's not exactly looking to just have a heart-to-heart with a stranger he met while hiking. They're both looking for something on their journey that will make them feel like it was worth it, but they're not sure what that end result is supposed to be.
I didn't know what caused the tension or anger, but I sure could hope I was helping ease it. I just wasn't sure whether I was reversing it, or masking it. I worried it was the latter.
We don't really get to see the story from Thad's POV. It does add a bit of mystery only knowing the story from Levi's POV, and that's okay. It's very similar to Focus On Me with Colin and Riley. We get to see glimpses into Thad's thoughts and feelings on Levi through his brief text exchanges with someone named 'M'.
M: Who are you with??
T: met a guy.
M: Oh how'd you meet?
T: i like his eyes. and we both like the moon.
Can I also say that I am not an outdoorsy person? This is really terrible of me, I know, but the most I can deal with being outside is probably shopping around an outlet mall or walking around a theme park with the comfort of an A/C and restrooms within a comfortable walking distance? This book, however, is strangely inspiring and actually makes me want to try hiking and go to the Appalachian Trails and be one with nature. So if I sudden disappear from posting reviews for a while, maybe I've gone hiking. This entire series makes me want to travel the country by car and go out into nature. This entire series has been an very uplifting and inspiring.
I was staring. I was blatantly staring, and I couldn't stop. My only consolation was if he called me out on it, at least I had shoes on and could run faster.
So, the romance...there is sexual tension from Levi and Thad from the beginning and they are hot together. But this isn't a light story. There are a few jokes that had me laughing, but there's just this sense of loss that comes and goes in the story as Levi remembers his sister and tries to find some sort of happiness wherever he can. I don't think it burdens the story, but it definitely adds a sort of weight to the story that makes me connect to it more.
I love Levi and Thad. I thought I had Thad all figured out, but I was only half right. Their words and their feelings just really cuts into me emotionally. Maybe I'm writing this review while I'm still feeling a little too raw from the book. I'm just absolutely overwhelmed with all sorts of feelings from having read this series of books back-to-back (in the best possible way, of course). They all work as standalone novels, this was especially so, but I would recommend all the books in the In Focus series by Megan Erickson, because there's so much heart in each of the characters that I would very much love to read there stories again and again.