REVIEW: Lover Avenged by J.R. Ward

ISBN 9780451225856

Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 7

Genre: Paranormal Romance

(c) May 2009, New American Library

J.R. Ward's website

Rating: 5 stars

Available at the Book Depository.

"Chock full of danger and excitement, and at the heart, a sweet romance between Rehvenge and Ehlena"

Rehvenge, Bella's brother and owner of ZeroSum club that the Brothers frequented, is half-symphath, his heritage a secret for fear of deportation to the symphath colony up north. Suffice it to say, symphaths and vampires don't get along, and any vampire who has knowledge of a rogue symphath has the duty to report such to the king. However, someone does know the truth about him and Rehv is asked to assassinate the king, Wrath.

In the midst of this upheaval in his life, his former professional relationship with Ehlena, a nurse at Havers' clinic, turned personal, but he couldn't risk Ehlena finding out the truth about him for then, she would be in danger...

I was charmed by Rehv's and Ehlena's developing relationship. It was sweet and romantic, and reminded me of the uncertainties and hopes that I went through when embarking on a new relationship. I couldn't get enough of their scenes together and I want more (This sentence is going to be a recurring theme in this review. Don't say you weren't forewarned.)

We have seen evidence of J.R. Ward's willingness to tackle issues that other authors wouldn't or to take on unsavory (how we perceive them usually, anyway) characters and give them a valid motivation and dress them up as a hero. It's no different here.

Rehv is a pimp and a drug lord, and every month, he whored himself out as part of a blackmail, and really, how could such a man, er, vampire, be seen as a hero? Yet, he is. He's a vamp who was forced to go into those avenues in order to raise blackmail money (although we're never told what Xhex ever did to the princess of the symphaths, only that Xhex fucked up), to ensure his and Xhex's survival, and within the boundaries of his life and his business, he did his best. His saving grace was that he cared for his girls and there was a regret in his soul at the things he's been forced to do. A feeling of dirtiness that clouded his soul, that no matter how much he washed, he never felt clean. This, I feel, is very different from an out-and-out villain who pimps and whores and is a drug dealer with no conscience at all. To borrow a phrase from the book, at his core, Rehv is a good vamp, and he's just trying to survive with what life has dealt him. Much like you and me, if you think about it, only that we're dealt with different, maybe kinder, hands.

As for Ehlena, I like how she accepted Rehv as he is. When he's embarrassed because of his impotence (due to the medication that he takes), she was matter-of-fact about it and just said if he could get it up, then fine. If not, then it's still fine. That kind of total acceptance is just what Rehv needs, and no wonder that he should fall in love with her. She's one of my favorite BDB heroines, and I truly wish there was more about her and Rehv in this book, but I guess I should be contented. After all, there's more interaction between her and Rehv, making the romance and eventual "I love you's" more believable than in the previous book, Lover Enshrined.

Aside from the expected showdown with the symphath colony, given Rehv's background, we see a lot of Beth and Wrath too, how it's not easy being king when the lessers are killing off your people day by day. It makes you angry and frustrated and like Wrath, will make you itch to do something. You couldn't just sit inside the Brotherhood mansion and do nothing. This, of course, led to problems between Wrath and Beth, especially after she found out that he'd been lying to her. I like this realistic look of a couple's life after the HEA in their own book (Dark Lover) and it made Beth and Wrath more real to me. (I found Dark Lover to be so-so, and like any other vamp romance out there.)

There are also the requisite John Matthew updates, leading up to his story in the next book. I feel for JM. That boy has really been dealt several bad hands since his birth. Being the adopted son of a Brother didn't turn his luck. Still...I think...the level of emotion I feel for him as a reader still couldn't match up to what I felt for Zsadist or Vishous or Rehvenge when I was reading their books, but we'll know for sure when I get my hands on Lover Mine.

REVIEW: Lover Enshrined by J.R. Ward

ISBN 9780451222725
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 6

Genre: Paranormal Romance
(c) January 2008, Penguin Books

J. R. Ward's website

Rating: 4 stars

Available at the Book Depository (print)

"This series is getting even more exciting with complex characters and increasingly heated tensions between the vamps and the lessers!"

Complex characters and even more complex situations, and probably only J.R. Ward could've pulled it off. Tension between the vampires and lessers amps up with the introduction of an old villain in a new and much bigger role. This book shouldn't be missed for the way it moves the entire series forward.

I have to say that she's extremely courageous for going where no author has dared gone. (Or maybe some have, but I just haven't read them.) Phury's drug addiction and downward spiral is almost painful to read, and the only thing that's keeping me going is that I'm sure there's light at the end of the tunnel. As it was, it took me over two weeks to finish the book. (I was also very busy with the DJ, so the OT's could have eaten into my reading time.)

So many things happened in this book it's hard to begin where. To that end, Phury's and Cormia's relationship development seemd almost overshadowed, and with this, I think the series is heading more toward urban fantasy, but I do hope not! I love me a good romance like any other woman.

First off, our main couple, Phury and Cormia. Phury's story is heartbreaking, with his drug addiction and his tormented past. Something is seriously wrong with that guy's mental and emotional health, brought about by a combination of his parents' neglect, his birth order, his race's culture and beliefs, and his upbringing. Then, it was exacerbated by what had happened to Zsadist and discovering that his twin was tortured and served as both blood and sex slave didn't help Phury at all. If ever, it helped send him further on his mental decline. No, Phury is not crazy in the sense that he should be admitted, but he suffers from the worst inferiority complex I've ever seen that left him emotionally crippled in the sense that he relies on the drugs to take away the pain and his sense of failure.

I'm not a fan of drug addiction, because I've seen how it could ruin lives, but I could understand how Phury turned to drugs in the first place as a way to cope or to escape, and it's probably how people got into it in the first place. To get free? One has to have the will to decide he's going to stop and stick to it. I like that Phury got to this stage and that Cormia's helping him with her calming presence. Yes, that's the essence that I got about Cormia's personality--her ability to calm people (Bella, Phury, maybe even Zsadist once). And because she's one of the Chosen (one of a collective whole), her entire arc is about breaking free and being herself, an individual with her own wants and needs, not as part of some group.

And, I didn't get much sense of a romance between the two as I'd have liked, aside from the hot sexxing. Phury woke to the realization one day that he loved Cormia, but aside from having the instincts of a bonded male, what did he know about her? That her scent is that of jasmine and that she liked lavender roses? Did he know how she liked to build things? Or that she didn't want to be one of a whole? Even Cormia herself. She always thought of Phury, as Primale, to be the strength of the race, but Phury could barely hold himself above the water as it was. I don't think she even knew about drugs or that Phury is an addict.

I found Rehvenge's situation to be more interesting that the romance. I can hardly wait to devour his book, which I'm happy to say is next and that I already have the book at home waiting for me to dive into it.

Lash's addition to the Lessening Society is poised to make the ongoing war with the vampires even more exciting. He's got imagination where the other Fore-lessers didn't, and he's Brother-trained, so it would be interesting to see him fight the Brothers with the knowledge he gained from them. Plus, he has his own powers as gifted to him by the Omega. He's so evil that I shudder. At the same time, you have to wonder about that touch of conscience that had him burying his parents because he didn't want the lessers to touch/desecrate them as they ransacked the house.

I'm giving 2 stars for the romance, but overall, the book is 4 stars. If you're new to the series, don't start with this book, and anyway, you wouldn't want to miss all the action-packed, earthshaking romances that has gone in the previous books. Start with Dark Lover, you won't regret it.

If You're Hooked...

For lovers of the BDB series, I just learned that the 9th book will be titled Lover Unleashed, featuring Manny and V's twin sister Payne. And we'll be seeing more of V!!!! Yay!!!

REVIEW: Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward

ISBN 9780451222350
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 5
Genre: Paranormal Romance
(c) October 2007, Signet Book
J.R. Ward's website 

Rating: 5 stars 

"One of the best books, if not the best, in the BDB series!"

Vishous, the hard, cold-hearted brother, met his match in Dr. Jane Whitcomb, human surgeon, when he was brought into the hospital for a gunshot wound. His instincts just kept on screaming "mine" whenever he looked at Jane. However, his destiny could not include her, for he was destined to be the Primale of the Chosen, a worthy endeavor that would see him filling the ranks of the Brotherhood for the war against the lessers.

J.R. Ward pens a moving story of love and sacrifice. There isn't much about the lessers here (yay!), but a lot of romance between V and Jane. Though more would be great. :) As in previous books, some of the pages was also devoted to John Matthew's progress (he's got his transition here!) and laying the foundation for the next book, Phury's story in Lover Enshrined.

I have to admit that I didn't feel anything for V in the first three books and I didn't like him much in Lover Revealed. If you feel the same way, give him a chance! Here, we learned so much more about V--his horrendous childhood in his father's war camp, the negligence of his mother, his horrible background and past that shaped him to be the man that he is. And we see his vulnerability and insecurity where Jane was concerned, and that scene where he made her some hot chocolate at her apartment before leaving her ("he didn't know what to say, but he knew what to do") just about made me cry. In V, we saw how a bonded male cared for his female and it would make every female reader yearned. I know I did.

And Jane. Jane is just so precious with the way she accepted V and stood on his side. I like her doctor-take-charge attitude and the fact that she has purpose and ambition and how she was able to find a way to reconcile the two with V's life in the end. I like the matter-of-fact way she accepted V's proclivities (BDSM) and how she matched him in every aspect of his life. I did raise an eyebrow at how fast Jane wholeheartedly accepted BDSM, even though she's never experienced it. Considering also that her sex life consisted of two past lovers who were not satisfactory at all in the bedroom. Or elsewhere.

I'm glad Ms Ward put a closure on the possibilities between Butch and V, otherwise people will just keep on wondering, not to mention Butch and Marissa. Since this is fiction, I like my HEA's neat and tidy. :)

Regarding the ending, I have to admit to feeling a little out-of-sorts, because I thought V wasn't getting the real deal like the other Brothers. But on second thought, it's the best possible ending for V (a vamp who lived long years) and Jane (a human with limited life span), because at least, as my friend said, this way they're together forever. And I think V was okay with it because it meant he would have Jane with him for always, as opposed to not having Jane. And as he said, "it's the new reality" and they're learning to deal with it. It made me think how life doesn't always turn out the way you want it to. Compromises and sacrifices have to be made along the way. What you have to decide though is what are the things that are important to you, that you absolutely cannot live without? Once you have those, the rest are just a bonus. I think V and Jane have learned that.

Like Z and Bella (Lover Awakened), I didn't want to let go of V and Jane when the story ended. I hope (hope hope hope) there would be more stories of V and Jane in the succeeding books. And, as someone once said, when she found herself thinking of the characters long after she has closed the book, she knew it deserved the highest recommendation. I couldn't agree more with this book.

REVIEW: Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward

ISBN 9780749938222

Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 4

Genre: Paranormal Romance

(c) May 2007, Little Brown Book Group

J.R. Ward's website

Rating: 3 stars

Available in Book Depository (print).

"Another daring and original installment in the Brotherhood series!"

Butch O'Neal was a human who'd fallen in with the Brotherhood, owing to a vision that Vishous had of him early on in the series. Though he ate and lived with the brothers, he stayed on the sidelines when the brothers were fighting, because he was human and fragile. This chafed at him. So, when he had the opportunity, he risked his life to save a civilian vampire. As a result, he was captured by the lessers and worked over by the Omega and something changed within him.

One good thing about it though is that the misunderstandings between him and Marissa over the previous books were cleared up, but love is only the beginning of their problems.

J.R. Ward continues to surprise me with her in-depth character portrayal and her courage to write stories that push the traditional boundaries. I like how the war between the Brotherhood and the Lessening Society is escalating, and how the events in the previous books contribute to the atmosphere in the next. She introduced a new romantic element that was hinted at, though never fully expressed, which is maybe a sign that she's testing the waters and also a foreshadowing of the kind of relationship she may want to tackle later on. That said, this book can stand alone, as the main characters' past is explained or a short background given.

In the last two books, Butch came across as a parasite, the way he lived off the Brothers, even to using branded stuff. I never did find out why Butch took to it like fish to water, after the not-exactly-poor-but-not-rich-either life that he had. Maybe because Marissa's clothes are all branded stuff? Anyway, it's heartening to see he also had this same realization in this book and that he wanted to work for his keep. I guess he wanted a sense of worth, as he looked how his life had been and ached for a fresh start. I came to like Butch in this story. He's such a romantic, something I wouldn't have expected. He goes all sappy over Marissa. LOL

Actually, I like his devotion to Marissa, his fierce possessiveness and protection over her, his courage, his willing to risk all for the chance to be with her for longer than a human lifetime. He is enough to make a woman melt. Most of all, I like his loyalty to the Brothers. Despite all the flaws that he sees in himself, he is, as Marissa said, "a male of worth".

Marissa is different from the previous heroine. She is beautiful and born to wealth and privilege, a part of vampire aristocracy, yet lonely and in a way, an outcast from her own people. Her experiences over the years with men had made her insecure about herself and her own sexuality. I find her reactions to Butch's lovemaking heartbreaking. I can also understand her fear that Butch would be hurt in a fight with the lessers and be taken from her, leaving her alone once again and without a mate, without someone who loves her for what she is. But the insecurities and the fear, when displayed over and over and over again became a touch irritating. I felt that she's clipping Butch's wings, making him less of a man and that she should grow up and be less selfish. That is not to say she doesn't have good qualities. She cares about her own people, especially the abused and those less fortunate than herself. Marissa is a flawed character that most of us can identify with (who among us don't suffer from occasional insecurities, especially where our bodies are concerned, and want our loved ones to be safe?) and she probably arouses negative feelings in us because we see parts of us in her. She did grow over the course of the book though, so we also have hope. :) She acquitted herself marvelously toward the end, especially the girl power she displayed in the council.

Another thing I like is Butch's and V's relationship--best friends, beloved brothers (though there seems to be something more on V's end). V really touched me, the way he yearned to have something like what Butch has with Marissa. And he's all agony over his loss of vision, too, and the way he glowed all over, not just his hand. He seems to have a terrible past, and I'm really looking forward to read Lover Unbound.

I also like the portrayal here that love isn't all sweet and chocolates and a bed of roses. No, in its real and truest form, love is messy, it hurts, it makes you do crazy, irrational things, yet it also brings warmth, it makes you strong and it also brings out the nobility of the human/vampire spirit (makes you want to protect the people you love even at great cost to yourself). In the end, when you look back at the ups and downs, the joys and the tears, you're gonna say, "It's all worth it."

One thing I wished the author would tackle is the relationship between the shellans. I mean, we see how the Brothers relate to each other, how they trust and depend on one another, but it would be nice to see the women, brought to live with the Brotherhood because of their hellrens, interact and be the support network to each other (just like the Brothers are for each other) while their men are out fighting. Or be involved in some project together that would benefit the race. Else, what do they do when their men are away keeping the race safe?

Available in Book Depository (print).

REVIEW: Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward

ISBN 9780451219367

Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 3

Genre: Paranormal Romance

(c) September 2006, Signet Eclipse, Penguin Putnam

J.R. Ward's website 

Rating: 5 stars

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

"The best and most romantic BDB book!"

Zsadist was stolen as a baby and became a blood slave for a woman who sexually abused him. He cut himself off from everyone and tolerated only his twin brother, Phury. However, when he met Bella, she got under his skin and when she was taken by the lessers, he couldn't rest until he rescued her or avenged her death.

Zsadist could rival Mary (Lover Eternal) in terms of insecurity. For him though, it was because he'd been abused and he thought of himself as dirty and contaminated and not worthy of a woman such as Bella. He is the most tormented, fucked-up hero that I've ever read thus far and of the three (Wrath, Rhage and Zsadist), I love Zsadist the best. He certainly got under my skin. I think it's the contrast between his being the strong, powerful warrior outwardly and the vulnerable, hurt, abused man that he was on the inside. Yet, his love for Bella made him reach out to her, and it also made him want to be better and worthy of her (according to his concept of "better" and "worthy").

And Bella, I just gotta love her for seeing the man beneath Zsadist's outward appearance, for being steadfast in her wanting of him despite his pushing her away almost every time and simply, for bearing with him, for working with him through all his issues, knowing that the road ahead of them wasn't easy.

There is no doubt this is one of the most romantic stories I've read where the roles are reversed--the hero needing rescue (psychologically, emotionally) and the heroine being his saving grace. I love the epilogue and I'm itching to read the novella of Zsadist, Bella and Nalla in the Inside Guide. I absolutely love the title: Father Mine. There's something so powerful about Zsadist's growth from a sick, tormented man to one who is loved and is capable of loving, not only with the woman who is his mate but also with his child. I guess it's because it's telling us a message of hope, that no matter how low you've fallen, there is always a chance you'll rise up from the ashes.

I just have to mention Phury. His actions left me with nothing to say. I was both astounded and shocked and humbled. Like Zsadist, I feel Phury deserved his own HEA. I can't wait until I get to his book!

And we have more on John Matthew. I love his scenes with Tohr and Wellsie and the way he treasures the family life he's come to have with them. They're moving without being mushy. I also like the way we see how he fares at school and how he relates to his peers. He's the underdog and it's nice to see the brothers standing up for him. However, I would love to see the day when John Matthew stands up for himself.

Oh, and the tragedy in this book. Sad, sad, sad.

Another thing I have to mention is that I love the continuity in this series, that there's an overall story arc at play here. The series is not just a number of books about these warriors finding the love of their loves, but you get the sense that time is really moving onward for the characters. We see this in the little things: Wrath, having ascended as king, is bringing back the old ways, firstly in the celebration of the winter solstice festival. John's change of circumstances, from living in that squalid apartment to living with Tohr and going to school. Even the villains, the power play among them, contributed to this.

Great book. Lots of romantic and emotion-charged moments, and I love them. The series is certainly looking up!

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

REVIEW: Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward

ISBN 978-0-451-21804-9

Series: Guardians of Eternity, Book 2

Genre: Paranormal Romance

(c) March 2006, Signet Eclipse, Penguin Group

J.R. Ward's website

Rating: 4 stars

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

"A great improvement over Dark Lover! Lover Eternal makes me a solid fan of the Black Dagger Brotherhood!" 

I've said that there was nothing remarkable about Dark Lover, but I sure can't say the same for Lover Eternal. From the moment Rhage met Mary, I was hooked and caught. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. J.R. Ward is truly a remarkable author in the way she was able to get me to be invested in her characters. She is also very good at twisting the characters' emotions (like when Rhage was first rejected by Mary) and making me feel his hurt and her insecurity.

Rhage was so sweet as he tried to court Mary in a way that wouldn't alarm her. I like his persistence in pursuing her, despite her "rejection" (sort of) of him, and I like the way he treated her with care, the way he savored her. There was something very tender and precious about the start of their relationship, like the slow blossoming of flowers, specifically in their first dinner scene and later on, when he went to her house.

And Mary...Mary was so very human--her insecurities, her fears, her panic and her incredulity that a gorgeous guy like Rhage would be interested in her. It is so easy to identify with her and feel with her and for her. Yet, she is also amazingly brave in face of her sickness and in protecting people she cared about. So unselfish. I especially like the way Rhage described her eyes: "Gunmetal gray, surrounded by lashes the color of her hair, they were grave, serious, reminding him of males who fought and survived battle. They were staggeringly beautiful in their strength." Truly, despite Mary's insecurities, she is a warrior and a fitting mate to Rhage.

However, I was frustrated with her insecurities by the last one or two times (it went on way too long at the expense of Rhage's feelings) and she started to be annoying, especially with the way she hurt Rhage with her comments. I would've thrown down the book were I not felt compelled to know how it turned out in the end for them. But the scene after she pushed Rhage away and he came after her at Bella's farm house and she stoically held on to her position and Rhage turned away, ready to leave her....when she ran after him and his arms came slowly around her...sigh. Good sigh.

Rhage did something in the middle of the book that would've broken any woman's heart, especially one who was in love with him. I tried to understand why he did what he did, and the most I could come up with was because he cared too much about Mary to hurt her. Yet, at the same time, he was also in a quandary. Whatever he did or did not do, he would be hurting her. I feel that he needed to go through it to realize he was never going to do it again, that it was unbearable for him, that it also hurt him. He also seemed to accept his feelings for Mary after that, that whatever she hurled at him, he would still continue to love her and stay by her side (instead of leaving the way he did previous times).

And oh, of course, I'm totally curious and eager to know what's gonna happen to John Matthew. (Can't wait for Lover Mine. I love it when I start a series late, so now I have all the next books to look forward to without having to wait!) He should be Darius come back to life, isn't he? But why is "Tehrror" the name that he dreamed of?

And with this book, I'm solidly a fan of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. *grin*

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

REVIEW: Dark Lover by J.R. Ward

ISBN 9780451216953

Series: Black Daggar Brotherhood, Book 1

(c) September 2005, Signet, Penguin Putnam

J.R. Ward's website

Rating: 4 stars

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

"A decent start to what promises to be a great series!"

For the uninitiated, the Black Daggar Brotherhood consists of the best, the strongest and fiercest warriors (not necessarily siblings, though they do call each other brother), vampires bred for the specific purpose of protecting the civilian vampires from the lessers, who are de-souled humans that seek to exterminate the vampires under the direction of their leader, the Omega.

Immersed in his own personal hell, Wrath couldn't agree to his warrior brother's request to help his half-human daughter Beth transition into her vampiric nature. Darius made the request because Wrath is the only purebred vampire left, and Wrath's blood is strong enough to make sure Beth didn't die in the transition, as his other children had. However, when Darius was murdered, Wrath had no choice but to consent to his fallen brother's request and was shocked to find that Beth Randall affected him in a way no woman has.

As for Beth, growing up an orphan, she yearned to know her family and origins, but she didn't know if she should believe Wrath when he came to her with fantastic tales of vampires and stories of the man he said was her father. But when dark urgings wracked her body, she knew she had no choice but to put her life in his hands.

I like that Wrath, for all his being big, bad and powerful, has a vulnerability that tugs at your heart. It could be his physical defect or the way he refused to let it be a weakness or it could be his tormented childhood. Whatever it is, I ache for the moment when he would find happiness with Beth. I like that moment of his acceptance of his destiny, the way he stepped up to the responsibility that he was born for, even though he didn't want to. Such an action showed growth and maturity, that of an adult who had stopped running from the inevitable.

With Beth, one can sense her utter loneliness and her need to break free from her dead-end situation, but before she could make a move, the decision was made for her when Wrath came to find her and when her own hidden nature threatened to break free. She's strong and the perfect match for Wrath, and though I thought she might have believed Wrath and his tales a little bit soon, what she had seen and heard and experienced may have catapulted her that early into belief.

I wasn't really wowed by this book, but I thought it was a decent start to what promised to be a fascinating series. Certainly, I've never seen vamps depicted this way. For one, vampires are born, not made, and the vamp nature doesn't manifest until one transitions, which occurs around the age of 25 or so. Also, before the transition, the person's physical structure may be different. For example, Wrath was a weakling, but afterwards, he somehow acquired bulk and great strength.

I was also a bit put off by some of the dialogue, especially with the warriors calling each other "brother" way too often and in a way that didn't feel...right, like something was off. As much as this story is about Wrath and Beth, so too this provides the groundwork for other books in the series with the introduction of the other  characters. Because there was a lot of them, I had to work hard at remembering who was who and looked like what. However, I'm excited to read the rest of the books, both because of the facinating characters that I've seen here and because I've heard lots of good things about them.

Quiz on Dark Lover

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository