Lover Unleashed by J. R. Ward

Title: Lover Unleashed
Author: J.R. Ward

Publisher: Piatkus
ISBN: 978-0-7499-5565-6
Pages: 573
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #9
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, deadly cloth as her brother. After spending eons imprisoned by their mother, Payne escapes only to find her spine broken. To save her life and try to reverse the paralysis Vishous is forced to abduct human surgeon Manny Manello, the head of his field in neurosurgery. But when Payne and Manny meet sparks fly and it soon becomes clear that a romance is growing despite their different species.

This is the ninth book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and one I approached with trepidation. I'd heard this was different to the previous books and having read it I agree with that assessment. In previous installments the focus has been primarily on the featured couple with other storylines kept firmly in the background, while this barely focuses on Payne and Manny and has a lot of distracting plotlines.

What there is of Payne and Manny's romance was incredibly sweet and well written. Payne's spinal injury at the start of the book is delicately handled and yet accurate in terms of her emotions (I showed certain scenes to my Mum who also has a spinal injury). Manny's medical training does show through and it was interesting to see how the previous memory wipes have affected him. The Brotherhood have really changed his life, and not in a good way.

The predominant storyline of the book though focuses on Vishous and his relationship with Jane. I expected V to play a key role here as Payne's twin but his storyline takes over the book and huge chunks are dedicated to his life. It is almost as if this book is Lover Unbound part two rather than focusing on a new couple. There are also tiny cameos from pretty much every other character from the books, although most are only mentioned and never given any purpose or dialogue.

There are also three other storylines, the first being a heartbreaking view of the Qhuinn/Blaylock story from Qhuinn's perspective revealing his true feelings for the first time (their book Lover at Last is out next year) which was kept mostly in the background. Then you have the introduction of Xcor and the Band of B*****ds, a rival group to the Black Dagger Brotherhood formerly led by the Bloodletter who, while relevant to the storyline, take over with some unnecessary scenes. The third storyline is a human murder case which I expected to tie everything together so was disappointed to find not only does it fail at this, it's actually tied into the author's other series.

All in all this was an okay read and I'll still pick up a copy of Lover Reborn.

Plot: 7/10
Characters: 8/10
Ending: 9/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Cover: 8/10

Overall: 40/50

Lover Mine by J. R. Ward

Title: Lover Mine
Author: J.R. Ward
Publisher: Piatkus
ISBN: 978-0-7499-4178-9
Pages: 653
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #8
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

John Matthew has now passed through his vampire transition and fights along the other Brothers against the evil Lessening Society. John's heart belongs to Xhex, a half-symphath assassin, who has been kidnapped by Lash. The problem is Lash is no ordinary Lesser, he is half vampire and the son of the Omega and has some nasty tricks up his sleeve. John is desperate to find Xhex, but the question is not whether he'll find her but whether she'll survive her imprisionment and whether she'll let herself be found.

This is the eighth Black Dagger Brotherhood novel (after Dark Lover, Lover Eternal, Lover Awakened, Lover Revealed, Lover Unbound, Lover Enshrined and Lover Avenged) and focuses on John Matthew whose story has been told in the background since book two.

This picks up four weeks after Xhex's abduction at the end of the previous book, and John is losing hope of ever finding her. The plot is cleverly written and well paced. The author has managed to find a balance between action and emotion that keeps you turning the pages desperate to see what happens next. John and Xhex's relationship has been slowly developing over the last few books so I was eager to what happened next and how they dealt with their traumatic pasts.

As usual the book has additional storylines running alongside the main John/Xhex perspectives. This time there are flashbacks to when Darius and Tohrment first met, along with a view on Lash and the Lessening Society and a TV show. These sections following the TV crew for Paranormal Investigators in South Carolina detracted from my enjoyment of the book quite a bit. While I understand their relevance to the longer series arc, I found the transition between these segments and John's story to be jarring.

One thing I loved about the book is that John and Xhex were able to develop as individuals, and other characters managed to get some page time. Tohrment and John's relationship regains it's balance, and Qhuinn and Blay's relationship goes through some unexpected changes. The ending was very cleverly done, giving closure to some characters and coming up with some unexpected twists. It also creates a good lead into Payne and Manny's book which is up next.

All in all this was a great read and I can't wait for Lover Unleashed.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 48/50

Teaser Tuesdays (8)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

My teaser:

"He had the car door open before the Bentley was in park and he was walking for the front entrance before Rehv was out from behind the wheel. The overriding sense of dread he got was actually a good sign."

~ Page 194, Lover Mine by J. R. Ward

Lover Avenged by J. R. Ward

Title: Lover Avenged
Author: J.R. Ward
Publisher: Piatkus
ISBN: 978-0-7499-4173-4
Pages: 719
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #7
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

Caldwell has long been the battle ground for the war between the Brothers and the Lessening Society. On the sidelines Rehvenge has built a successful business providing his nightclub clientele with whatever they want so it is unsurprising when he is asked to kill Wrath, the vampire King. Rehvenge has secrets of his own to keep, like his true symphath nature that would result in his imprisonment, and when the plots become too much he turns to Ehlena, the only source of light in his dark world.

This is the seventh book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series (after Dark Lover, Lover Eternal, Lover Awakened, Lover Revealed, Lover Unbound and Lover Enshrined) and one I approached with trepidation. Not only was the previous book a let down, but this is the longest one yet at 716 pages. This is a total return to form though and I loved it.

The plot is cleverly done and there is a lot of it. Rehvenge's life is more complex than the previously featured Brothers, and this book reflects that showing his separate business, family, symphath and romantic lives. It also has different plotlines relating to Xhex and John Matthew whose relationship gets even more complicated and messy (luckily their book is next), Lash's new life as a lesser and his role within the Lessening Society and Wrath's changing role as fighter and King. There is so much story here I became a little overwhelmed but it is well paced with a ton of tension.

I've liked Rehvenge ever since his introduction as the Reverend at the beginning of the series. We've seen him grow and change throughout the books, showing his protective family side and the responsibilty he has taken on to keep Xhex safe. He lives in a very dark place because of his responsibilities, and Ehlena is brilliant for balancing out Rehvenge's darkness. As someone who cares for a parent I can say that her emotions as a carer are spot on and this really made her character come to life for me.

The ending is incredible, giving all the characters an opportunity to be the best they can be - even Wrath and Tohr who had occasionally annoyed me earlier in the book. It reshapes the BDB world and also leads straight into the next book so I can't wait to see where the author goes from here.

All in all this was an awesome read and I can't wait to get stuck into Lover Mine.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 48/50

Lover Enshrined by J. R. Ward

Title: Lover Enshrined
Author: J.R. Ward
Publisher: Signet
ISBN: 978-0-451-22272-5
Pages: 534
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #6
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Phury sacrificed himself to save his Brother Vishous and to protect his race. He became the Primale, the male responsible for continuing the Brotherhood's bloodline, and is now obligated to father the sons and daughters who will lead the race in the future. Selected as his first mate is Cormia who is drawn to the responsibility and honour Phury shows. But Phury is reluctant to fulfill his role and as such is putting the future of the entire race in danger.

This is the sixth book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series (after Dark Lover, Lover Eternal, Lover Awakened, Lover Revealed and Lover Unbound) and is the first to disappoint me and end up with four stars.

My main problem with the book is Phury himself. In the previous books he has been presented as the calmer, more stable member of the Brotherhood and this book acts as a brutual view behind the curtain. Phury is basically a drug addict with a hero complex who whines...a lot. He has a voice in his head called the Wizard which motivates him to use drugs, but Phury annoyed me so much with his woe-is-me attitude that I ended up siding with the Wizard at times. I know Phury has been on a downward spiral since Lover Awakened but he really irritated me in this book.

On the other hand, the heroine of the tale Cormia was far better than I expected. Cormia has moved from the Other Side to our world and has spent five months living in the Brotherhood's compound. It is great to see her learn more about our world and to embrace her freedom. Her pleasure at the simplest things, like watching a movie or running around outside, is a great counterpoint to Phury's depression.

The real strength of the book, however, is in the background stories. John, Blay and Qhuinn who have all transitioned recently have their world turned upside down in a single moment and the book has some major twists and revelations for the three. It's hard to say much without giving away major plot points but it changes everything for all three of them. There is also a bit more of a focus on the half-symphaths Rehvenge and Xhex and what they have to do to hide their natures, as well as the introduction of two new kinds of creature - Rehv's bodyguard who is a royal member of s'Hisbe of Shadows and the fallen angel Lassiter.

Phury managed to redeem himself with the ending which also manages to reshape the world of the Brothers, redefining some traditions and introducing a new character - Vishous's twin sister Payne who will most likely shake up the world even further.

All in all, this was a good read but I can't wait for Rehvenge's book Lover Avenged.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 7/10
Ending: 9/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 42/50

Lover Unbound by J. R. Ward

Title: Lover Unbound
Author: J.R. Ward
Publisher: Signet
ISBN: 978-0-451-2235-0
Pages: 502
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #5
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

Vishous is the most ruthless and brilliant of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, but a single mistake leaves him bleeding from a gunshot wound alone in an alley. That mistake leads him to Dr Jane Whitcomb's trauma surgery and after she saves his life, V can't seem to make himself let her go. As Jane is drawn into the world of the Brotherhood, she is forced to deal not only with her tragic past but also with the horrors V was subjected to as a child in his father's brutal war camp. But V is not who he thought he was and just as he discovers a future he craves, he is confronted with a future he must fulfill.

This is the fifth book in the awesome Black Dagger Brotherhood series (after Dark Lover, Lover Eternal, Lover Awakened and Lover Revealed) and one I was a little nervous of reading. I didn't enjoy the previous book as much as the others and I'd seen very mixed reviews of this so I was surprised to enjoy it as much as I did.

I've liked V since the first book and I've been wondering over the last few books how he'd manage to get a shellan when he obviously has feelings for Butch. Since Butch got his happy ending in the previous novel, V's been left in a sort of limbo knowing he can't have the guy he wants but not expecting any woman to fill that role in his life. That is, until Jane ends up in his life.

As with the other BDB books, the focus isn't purely on the romance between the lead characters. V and Jane both have complex backstories, V's more so with some mindblowing twists I didn't see coming and some truly heartbreaking scenes. The Lessers take a smaller role than previously but the gap is filled by more about the Scribe Virgin and the religious side of the vampire society. John's story also continues and seeds are sown for his book (Lover Mine the 8th in the series).

The ending is cleverly done, giving V and Jane a satisfying and unexpected ending while also managing to create a brilliant lead into the next book. Phury's backstory is given a little more depth, and his heroine Cormia is introduced. It works as a great tease and really makes me want to get started on their book. The author even manages to introduce the main characters of the ninth book Lover Unleashed.

All in all, this was a great read and I can't wait to get stuck into Lover Enshrined.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 48/50

Teaser Tuesdays (6)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

My teaser:

"There was a heartbeat of silence, then someone barked a laugh while her patient cursed in the background. The kinglike one started to grin at her.."

~ Page 204, Lover Unbound by J. R. Ward

Lover Revealed by J. R. Ward

Title: Lover Revealed
Author: J.R. Ward
Publisher: Signet
ISBN: 978-0-451-22968-7
Pages: 480
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #4
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

Butch left his human life behind when he became involved with the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Now the former cop fights alongside the Brothers loving beautiful vampire Marissa from a distance. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire, he is captured and tortured to the edge of death by the Lessening Society and only Marissa can bring him back. But even her love may not be enough to save him from the darkness planted within.

This is the fourth book in the awesome Black Dagger Brotherhood series (after Dark Lover, Lover Eternal and Lover Awakened) and the first to deal with a lead character from outside the Brotherhood itself. Butch was introduced in the first book along with his connection with Marissa. After spending some time together then, they haven't really seen each other since so I was interested to see where the book would take them and how it would explain their separation.

In terms of the storyline between Butch and Marissa it is sweet and believable, but suffers from external influences which the previous romances in the series didn't have. Also Marissa is very naive and innocent so some of the things she says and does come across as very immature at times. Butch and Marissa also argue a lot about each other's strengths and what risks they don't want the other to take which is another first for the series.

As with the previous books, the storyline about the lessers runs alongside the romance aspect. Mr X is now looking for a way out of the society, and this interlinks with Butch and the Omega's interest in him. There is a lot of background story here with some changes to the Brotherhood that make the book drag a little at times and seem a bit overwhelming. On the whole the pacing is good, although the high tension start tapers off quickly.

All in all this was a good read and I'm looking forward to Lover Unbound.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 45/50

Lover Awakened by J. R. Ward

Title: Lover Awakened
Author: J.R. Ward
Publisher: Signet
ISBN: 978-0-451-21936-7
Pages: 434
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #3
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

Among the Brotherhood, Zsadist is easily the most terrifying member. Having survived a horrific past as a blood slave he is now known for his unquenchable rage and sinister appetites and is feared by everyone who has even heard his story. A chance meeting introduced him to Bella but when she is kidnapped by the Lessening Society Zsadist will stop at nothing to get her back. When he does, he is overwhelmed by an emotion he has never experienced before...desire.

This is the third in the awesome Black Dagger Brotherhood series (after Dark Lover and Lover Eternal) and one I was really looking forward to. Zsadist has been a shadowy figure in the books since the very beginning, scaring even his fellow brothers. Ironically the only person not scared by him is Bella but since she was taken by the Lessers at the end of the last book, Zsadist has become even deadlier.

The pacing is brilliant, first with the struggle to get Bella back and then with her recovery. There is a massive twist part way through that I didn't see coming and found heartbreaking. It will echo through the future novels and I'm interested to see where the author goes with it, as it destroyed something I thought was an untouchable part of the series.

The book is a bit more romance focused than the previous two, with more emphasis put on Zsadist whose past is shown through a series of flashbacks. I really enjoyed watching Bella gradually help Zsadist come to terms with his past and to allow himself to feel again. That said the background storylines continued with Butch still fixated on Marissa (their book is next), the focus on Mr O and the Lessening Society, the development of the pre-turn John and also introducing a new kind of vampire in Bella's brother Rehvenge. The world building deepens with this book as well, giving insight into the vampire aristocracy known as the glymera.

All in all this was a great read and I can't wait for Lover Revealed.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 49/50

Lover Eternal by J. R. Ward

Title: Lover Eternal
Author: J.R. Ward
Publisher: Signet
ISBN: 978-0-451-21804-9
Pages: 441
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #2
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

Rhage is one of the most dangerous warriors within the Brotherhood. Cursed by the Scribe Virgin for his reckless nature, Rhage is full of strong impulses that must be indulged lest his inner dragon emerge and reek destruction. When Rhage crosses paths with Mary Luce he is desperate to claim her for himself, as is the dragon inside him. But Mary has survived more than Rhage can comprehend and with her trials starting again there are some things even Rhage can't protect her from.

This is the second book in the awesome Black Dagger Brotherhood series (after Dark Lover) and I have to say I enjoyed it as much as the first. There were a few comments in the previous book about the unlikeliness of Rhage ever settling down which I found hilarious given that I knew his book was up next. I liked Rhage in the previous books, and his portrayal as the cursed warrior fits well with Mary who, unsure if she can even save herself, spends all her time trying to save others.

Once again the romance is well written and runs alongside additional storylines, this time introducing John Matthew as a character (his book Lover Mine is the eighth in the series) and focusing on a different Lesser called Mr O who was introduced in the previous book. The bad-guy perspective isn't something frequently done in paranormal romance books, but it gives a lot of depth to the story showing that the Lessers do have their own individual motivations.

The ending is cleverly done as while it concludes this book, it leads straight in to the next book. Bella is introduced in this book as a friend of Mary's and she interacts with Zsadist on several occasions. The cliffhanger at the end of their storyline means I can't wait to get reading their book.

All in all this was a great read and I can't wait for Lover Awakened.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 48/50

Dark Lover by J. R. Ward

Title: Dark Lover

Author: J.R. Ward
Publisher: Signet
ISBN: 978-0-451-21695-3
Pages: 393
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #1
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads


Wrath is the last purebred vampire on the planet. After watching his parents slaughtered by members of the evil Lessening Society, Wrath found himself the reluctant king and leader of a band of warriors known as the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Now he's mourning the loss of his friend and warrior Darius, and finds himself with another unexpected responsibility. Darius has left a half-breed daughter, Beth, and he needs Wrath to protect her.

This is the first in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series which has been recommended to me so many times I've actually lost count. I've read this book twice now, and I'm happy to say I enjoyed it even more the second time through. The world is incredibly well developed with no info dumping, instead there is a glossary at the start of the book for all of the new terminology introduced - like Lessers (bad guys), Shellan (wife) and Doggen (butler).

Wrath and Beth are great characters that really come to life on the page, and I was completely glued to their story throughout. Their romance is realistic and the book is also grounded with other storylines, like the fight against the Lessers and the choices of one particular Lesser Mr X. The pacing of the book is excellent - managing to balance the slower emotional side of the story, with action packed fight scenes and a creepy view-behind-the-curtain of the Lessening Society.

The rest of the brothers are introduced, along with a human cop, and each is really unique. Introducing all the brothers here also means I'm now really looking forward to the rest of the series (especially Zsadist's book) so I can find out even more about them.

All in all this was a great read and I can't wait to get stuck into Lover Eternal.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 48/50