35/40: Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward

Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

From Goodreads: Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, warrior cloth as her brother: A fighter by nature, and a maverick when it comes to the traditional role of Chosen females, there is no place for her on the Far Side… and no role for her on the front lines of the war, either. 

When she suffers a paralyzing injury, human surgeon Dr. Manuel Manello is called in to treat her as only he can- and he soon gets sucked into her dangerous, secret world. Although he never before believed in things that go bump in the night- like vampires- he finds himself more than willing to be seduced by the powerful female who marks both his body and his soul.

As the two find so much more than an erotic connection, the human and vampire worlds collide … just as a centuries old score catches up with Payne and puts both her love and her life in deadly jeopardy

Another book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood book down. This is #9 in the series.
With the long list of characters, it feels like it will never end. There are always new characters arriving and everyone has a story. I will say that it's nice each book is focused on a certain character and their life.

Payne is a strong female character and I liked her. Not a big fan of Manny, I'm still not sure other than his surgical skills how he really fits in, but I'm sure that will be expanded on in the next book. As always, they see each other and fall in love immediately. They can't live without each other, but they try and it goes all wrong. Reunite and happily ever after. This is the same plot as all the books so you know what you're getting yourself into. As much as I'd like to quit this series, I can't. I'll eventually pick up the next one and speed through it as well.

It was refreshing to read a book of someone who wasn't a Brother. I was a little disappointed that there was a lot of focus on V again. He got an entire book to himself! I also felt the scenes with Xcor were a little anti-climatic. I'm a little sad Ward is adding in what appears to be another "brotherhood". As if the Black Dagger Brotherhood didn't have enough to worry about with an expanding family and the Lessening Society growing in numbers. Maybe the change will be good?

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19/40: Lover Mine (BDB#8) by JR Ward

Lover Mine by J.R. Ward
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Continuing on with the Black Dagger Series finally. I needed a break after 6 and 7. They sort of turned me off the series for a bit. I'm so glad this one was great. I have a feeling I'll need to read the next one soon!


The characters were stronger and less annoying. I also loved that there are 3 plots, although I'm a little disappointed that it's left wide open for two of them. (Guess I know what book 9 is about)


John and Xhex were wonderful together. Fighting against their love so hard yet always bouncing back. As two heavily mentally wounded people they are a perfect match. I wasn't sure I would like John in this one, but he definitely held his own becoming a male of worth. In the previous books he seemed so much like a childish boy. A kid who had a chip on his shoulder and something to prove in order to hide his horrible past. His vulnerability when he was with Xhex really made me like him.

Payne - Can't wait for her story! To be locked away for so long, only to be released because of a horrific accident. I truly hope that her story with Manny really lets us get to know her more. I think with her past and being so similar to Vishous it will be interesting.

Quinn & Blay - I cannot WAIT for their book. Each one is fighting against their feelings for each other to the point where my heart hurts for them.

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2/40: Lover Avenged by JR Ward

Lover Avenged (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #7) by J.R. Ward
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I have to say I did not fall in love with Rhevenge like I did the other brothers.
I think part of the problem I had with this book was that the plot about Rhev didn't do enough to warrant a full book and the sub-plots were distracting. I almost would have preferred the book be about Wrath and John and Rhev as the side story.

A lot of my friends loved this book and thought it was the best one in the series. I just couldn't get there. It took me forever to read. Far longer than the others. I guess I just didn't feel the heat and love between Rhev and Elhena like I did the rest of the characters. There was something missing.
My fear is that the remainder of this series is going downhill like the Sookie books did for me. I hope they don't because I love the rest of the characters in the book.

I was going to take a break from reading next two for a while, but I didn't have another book with me other than Lover Mine the day I finished this one. I've started it, but I think I still might put it down for a bit. Come back when I am ready to dive in.
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44/50: Father Mine by JR Ward

Father Mine: Zsadist and Bella's Story by J.R. Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love Bella and Zsadist! This little novella wasn't long enough. I stayed up late to finish this one. Seeing Zsadist struggle with being a father and mate and all his inner demons was heartbreaking. He is an amazing mate to Bella and has come so far since we first met him in Lover Awakened. This little story made me fall in love with him all over again. Warms my heart to see such a savage man at the beginning of book 3 end up as this loving father.

Ward did well tying in all these bits and pieces of the previous books so I knew exactly where this story fit in with the rest. Reading a scene from a different perspective in a room always has its benefits.
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43/50: Lover Enshrined by J.R. Ward

Lover Enshrined by J.R. Ward
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Not my favorite in the series. Still good, but definitely not because of the main story. Phury was annoying, whiney and OMGGETOVERYOURSELF!!!!
His character made me angry and if it wasn't for the rest of the characters I may not have finished it. I found myself skipping over a lot of his story just to get to the other stories.

I found that his love towards Cormia just wasn't up to snuff with the rest of the Brothers. For one, he didn't ever really get that "mine" thing going on that the rest of the Brothers had. He did have brief moments of possession but he supressed them. There was very little hot and steamy sex which, really that's what drew me to these books in the first.

All that negativity said... the other characters in the book were amazing. John Matthew where is your book?! You are like a miniture Brotherhood gang with Qhuinn and Blay that I want more of! I cannot wait to read more about him. Revhenge has grabbed my attention this book and the war with the Lessers is really amping up. I'd consider this an inbetween book. You have to read it to get through to the next ones. It sets a lot up for future books.
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42/50: Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward

Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I didn't like this one as much as the others. I did like V's story and learning the background of why he is the way he is. It seemed to fall a little flat on the love side of things. While the steamy scenes were in fact steamy, I didn't feel like the love between V and Jane was as stong as the other stories. It felt like Ward tried to stuff too many story lines into one book. I liked them, but it was as if there wasn't enough time spent on each one. I can see there is a set up for more stories to come and that makes me excited to know there are more books in the future. The amount of characters and endless possibilities makes me giddy.
I'll be starting Lover Enshrined soon! Ward definitely knows how to pull you into the next book right away. I am excited to read about Phury and can't wait to get to John's story.
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37/50: Lover Revealed by JR Ward

Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The 4th installment of the Black Dagger Brotherhood follows Butch, the human brother. Cast out from his old life, he lives with the Brotherhood and assists them anyway he can. We saw in previous books that he was falling hard for Marissa, one of the aristocrats of the vampire society.

Butch and Marissa have an interesting story. As a human and a vampire, it's frowned upon that they should be lovers. I found that their love was juvenile. Not in the way they loved, but the way they went about it. There was so many misunderstandings between the two of them that at some points in the book I wanted to scream. If Butch would have just gone and talked to her, if Marissa would have just gave him a look. However, without the not knowing what was really going on with them, we wouldn't have had this book, and we wouldn't be able to see a love between two people like this.

Aside from the love story, we see Butch in a new light. As a cop who was called on to help people in need, he is always on the sidelines when it comes to the Brotherhood and their fights. A fighter by nature, he has this burning need to help and fight the Brotherhood. He goes out of his way to fight the Lessors without any help and it gets him into a lot of trouble. Trouble that nearly kills him.

Marissa, with the help of Vishious are the only two that can help save Butch. Marissa with her love will heal his heart and give him the will to fight for his life, and Vishious with his curse will heal Butch's body.

This book wasn't as sexy as the first three, but it definitely dove into the Vampire VS Lessor Society far more than the rest. I will definitely have to continue with the series. Interested to read more about the Brotherhood.
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30/50: Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward

Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lover Awakened was better than the second book, Lover Eternal. Zsadist was an interesting character. He was broken beyond repair from the abuse he suffered as a blood/sex slave. For him to change so much and become this doting lover was a complete transformation. Incredible to witness, but I feel like it was a little unnatural. I don't believe that he could go through that sort of hell and become what he did in the end. Aside from that, the book was great.

Bella seemed like a woman trying to escape her perfect aristocratic life, but after reading her story, there was no way she could ever go back to a life like that.

We got to learn a little more about each of the characters still to come.
John is taking a bigger role and I'm excited to read more on his story.
Phury I think will have a change of heart with his celebacy vow. Zsadist, his twin has found peace, and I think because of that Phury will find his own peace and grow.

I'll probably take a break from reading this series. There is such a thing as too much brain candy all at once.

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SuBC2011 - Read a book that is part of a series - 10 points
Book Journey 2011 - Caldwell, New York

29/50: Lover Eternal (Black Dagger Brotherhood #2) by J.R. Ward

Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My husband (still love saying that word) picked this book for me to read as part of the Summer Book Challenge. He was so excited about the task that he had input for. He's been told that husbands are very happy when their wives read the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, so it's naturally the one he picked.

Onto the book review:
I can't say I liked this one better than Dark Lover (BDB#1). This book was frustrating... and not in a bad way. Rhage and Mary were awesome together. A lot of passion. Being as how his name is Rhage, I wasn't at all surprised when he got angry, and overly passionate about Mary. The beast inside him seemed to make him feel more of each emotion he had.

Mary was dull to me. I thought she was stupid, but let's be honest, she's had a hard life, used to being on her own and certainly not used to a man taking interest in her. Especially not one like Rhage, who's nickname is Hollywod. I couldn't get why she wouldn't let Rhage just love her. Her past was hard and I totally get why she didn't want to put Rhage through pain watching her deal with her illness. Strong character emotionally. Not afraid of anything.
John Matthews sparked my interest and I hope he sticks around. He was so alone, and needed someone to reach out. At first I thought he was incredibly creepy. Following Mary, calling her all the time. Hello Stalker? But he wasn't. He was sweet, alone and needed help. I can't wait to hear more about him in the remainder of the series. I've heard a lot of my book friends like his character.

I haven't talked about the Lessers much because they weren't a big part of book 1. They are starting to irritate me. They are the enemies of the Brotherhood and I get they are there for the sole purpose of irritating the reader. Well done JR Ward. Well done. The Society drives me insane and I hope that the Brotherhood kicks their butt once and for all in this series at some point. Mr. O seems to have a big conflict within himself, even though he's technically dead and has no soul. There was a moment where I actually felt bad for him, but that passed quickly.

SuBC2011: Have your significant other pick a book for you to read - 10 points
Book Journey 2011: Caldwell, New York

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25/50: Dark Lover by J.R. Ward (Black Dagger Brotherhood #1)

Dark Lover by J.R. Ward

My rating: 3 of 5 stars




Brain Candy. Fun, sexy and a good way to get the right sort of mood going. I will definitely be picking up the rest of this series.

Wrath is an interesting man. He reminds me of the jungle cat that takes a female to subdue. His turn around to be this lover and gentle man made me love Beth even more. She was perfect for him. Feisty, sexy and let's be honest, it's a romance novel, so able to believe anything.
I'm feel pity for her that Darius died and she was thrown into this other world without his help. She found out she lost something she never knew she even had.

The sex scenes were great. Definitely get your motor running regardless if you're a fan of vampires or not.

I will say that the names of the characters are quite amusing. Although I have to say I'm very excited to read the next books.

SUBC 2011: Read a book you heard about on someone's blog - BookNerdBecca - 5 Points
Book Journey 2011: Caldwell, New York

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