BDB News!

Ok guys...today I heard news of EPIC proportions. You know how I am completely crazy for J.R. Wards Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Well... next year... will bring about the most anticipated book yet. 2013 will be the year of QHUAY!!! HELL YEAH!

I was so excited by this that I jumped up, started my happy dance and promptly tripped over my rug and ended up face down on the carpet *looks embarrassed* ... I have two bruised elbows and was laughed at by my brother for a good 2 hours but it's all worth it. Qhuay aka the story of Blaylock and Qhuinn will be awesome...My only regret is that it's not coming out sooner!

May this weekend bring you more good news...this was the cherry on the top of mine and shall sustain me through the working week :)

Celebrate in style!

Review: Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward

Hi Guys, time for another review. This is Lover Unleashed by New York Times Bestselling author J.R. Ward. The Brotherhood are BACK!

Title: Lover Unleashed
Author: J.R. Ward
Publisher: Piatkus (UK) | Signet Eclipse (US)
Release Date: March 29th 2011
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 9
Source: My personal copy

From J.R. Ward's website:
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.

Review:

As you all know I am a HUGE fan of J.R. Ward, her Black Dagger Brotherhood series is one of my all time favourites. Despite this, I was hesitant about starting this Lover Unleashed, Payne was not a character that had interested me. Manny however, I was curious about. BUT, this is not Manny and Payne's book...oh no...this is Vishous and Jane part 2. In theory Lover Unleashed is Payne and Manny's story of true love with Vishous and Jane's relationship blues as a side story. It doesn't come across like that though, Vishous' story has such passion that it completely overshadows Payne's storyline. Don't get me wrong, this book is still pretty good, and to be honest I was more interested in reading about Jane and Vishous/ Blay and Qhuinn (yes, they're in here too!) anyway. 

Manny and Payne's story probably only amounts to about 1/2 of the book, and begins where Lover Mine left off. Payne is in a hospital bed in the Brotherhood's compound where she has remained since her sparring accident with Wrath which paralysed her from the waist down. Dr. Manuel 'Manny' Manello (who some may remember from Lover Unbound) is chief of surgery and the only who has any chance of reversing Payne's paralysis. One problem...he's human...she's not. Payne is the Scribe Virgin's daughter and Vishous' twin sister, making her extremely off limits to Manny, however when this unlikely pair first meet they forge an unbreakable bond. They struggle through Payne's recovery together and have a few blips in their relationship (mainly when Vishous wipes Manny's memories in an attempt to protect his twin) but you can feel Manny's passion for this delicate woman.

The pair discover truths about themselves as the relationship progresses, Payne begins to heal despite all the odds and Manny uncovers a secret from his past that ties him to the Brotherhood forever. I liked Manny as a character, he's strong willed and quick witted, plus is able to stand up to Vishous - no mean feat, he scares me too! Payne however is another matter, up until now she's been this kick-ass warrior who bows to no-one. And yet in this book, she seems to have lost most of her fight, her spirit...plus I find it hard to get my head around the way she speaks. As a couple they don't seem to fit together as well as some of the others do, and their story didn't move me as much as say...Rhage and Mary's. It's not awful, but definitely not my favourite.

Now for the part of the book I loved. There are cracks forming in Vishous and Jane's relationship, most of it due to Vishous still not believing himself to be worthy of his female, and he's still tormented by his horrific past. Their relationship fractures over Payne's treatment and I thought it was irrecoverably broken. I couldn't see a way for Vishous to work through his issues, after all they're so ingrained into his being that I don't think he even knew how badly damaged he was. Then I remembered...THIS IS J.R. WARD, if anyone could help Vishous then she could! And oh my God! There is a scene (well several if I'm truly honest) that brought tears to my eyes. For the first time, Vishous, the fierce hard hearted warrior that he is...was laid bare. It's a treat for fans of the BDB because it also adds yet another level to the relationship between V and Butch (as if it wasn't complicated already). 

'Vishous screamed around the ball gag...and kept at it. He screamed for all he had lost...screamed for the half male he was...screamed for Jane...screamed for who his parents were and what he wished for his sister...screamed for what he had forced his best friend to do.... He screamed and screamed until there was no breath, no consciousness, no nothing. No past or present. Not even himself anymore. And in the midst of chaos, in the strangest way, he became free.'

His path certainly isn't an easy one,  Vishous becomes increasingly self destructive throughout, and it takes an unbreakable friendship between him and Butch (which by God is put through the wringer) to bring stability back to Vishous' life. It's a heart-warming story of true love - not just the love between Vishous and his shellan, but the love between two best friends who would die for each other. In one word, beautiful.

For hardcore BDB fans (like myself) you will be pleased to know that there is some more Blay/ Qhuinn action, though their story still isn't progressing the way I want it to. Also there appears to be trouble heading the Brotherhoods way in the form of the Bloodletter's old crew. Xcor has his sights set on Wrath and the throne. The Blind King seems to have a war coming his way. Is it one he can win? I don't know...

Though I've picked at Payne and Manny a bit I still thoroughly enjoyed Lover Unleashed. I cannot get enough of J.R. Ward's writing. Her characters are full of vitality, they practically jump off the page and pull you into their world whether you like it or not. I cannot wait for Lover Reborn in March and anyone who has even a slightest interest in paranormal romance must checkout the Black Dagger Brotherhood - starting with book 1, Dark Lover!

My Rating: 4.5/5

Review: Dark Lover by J.R. Ward

Hey all, time for another review and today's pick is Dark Lover by #1 New York Times best selling author... J.R. Ward! This is the first book in her phenomenal Black Dagger Brotherhood series. 


Title: Dark Lover
Author: J.R. Ward
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Released: September 2005
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book #1
Source: My personal copy


From J.R. Ward's website:
In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There also exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Among them, none relishes killing their enemies more than Wrath, the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood...

The only purebred vampire left on the planet, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But when one of his most trusted fighters is killed- orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate - Wrath must usher the beautiful female into the world of the undead…


Review:
Wrath is the last purebred left in the vampire race, but due to a birth defect he has extremely poor sight. Wrath is also their King if he chooses to be. Too bad he really doesn't want to be King and that if you call him 'my Lord' he's likely to snarl at you or put you into a coma. Be careful not to become his enemy because if you are....he will hunt you down and tear you apart with help from the Black Dagger Brotherhood he leads. There maybe only be 6 of the Brothers left but that's more than enough to put a world of hurt on the Lessening Society (enemies of the vampire race). The Black Dagger Brotherhood is the elite group of warriors whose calling it is to exterminate the those humans who have sold their souls to the Omega (aka Lessers), who are killing off civilian vampires one by one. Lessers have the distict smell of baby powder surrounding them as well as hair and skin that turns white the older they get. All 6 brothers love what they do and are the ultimate alpha males of their world. The BDB is made up of; their leader Wrath, second in command Tohrment (Tohr), model gorgeous Rhage (aka Hollywood), tech-savvy, precognitive Vishous, and finally twins Phury and Zsadist. 

At the beginning of Dark Lover the brotherhood has 7 members but Darius is killed in an explosion, leaving his half human, half vampire daughter, Beth, unaware of her heritage or her fate. As a last favour to his fallen brother, Wrath decides he will help Beth through the transition from her half human state to becoming a full blooded vampire (something that occurs around age 25). Wrath becomes unexpectedly attracted to stunning Beth and his world is shaken up by her... he rejects his lust and attraction, fighting his feelings believing he is the last thing she needs...Beth, in turn, is frightened by this leather clad, muscled warrior who appears in her life telling her wild stories of vampires and her fathers involvement with them. However her attraction to Wrath is strong and soon they find themselves unable to live without each other...but the Blind King has enemies. Soon the Lessening Society is hunting them down, and the question becomes can they keep each other safe or will the Lessening society claim the lives of the Royal couple?

Wow, Wow, Wow.....Seriously..just Wow. I mean I'd read other people's reviews and knew it was going to be good, but I was still amazed at just how good Dark Lover was. This book has everything I could have ever asked for. Amazing characters, good plot and a genius author who pulls it all together with such brilliant writing that you can see what Wrath and Beth see, feel what they feel. I know I became so connected to these characters that I found myself willing them on.. hoping they'd see what's right in front of them, how good and perfect they are for each other . I must admit, I often found myself yelling at Wrath that he's an idiot for whatever he did to Beth this time to screw up their relationship! I could quite happily stay in the world J.R Ward has created for hours on end...in fact I did...I read Dark Lover all in one sitting, completely forgot all about work and anything else I'd meant to do that day. It all became unimportant compared to my longing to know how Dark Lover turned out for Beth and Wrath. It was a decision I never regretted. Even the other characters who weren't the focus were complexly described so we could have an insight into them as well. Got to say I love Zsadist, can imagine his story's going to be brilliant. I've always had a bit of a soft spot for those strong characters with tortured pasts. The scar on his face, soulless black eyes plus the warnings the other BDB members give about him really intrigue me...there's going to be a deep story behind it all, something that will be equally as amazing, if not better, if J.R. Ward keeps this calibre of writing throughout the series.

The two things I've heard people don't like about Dark Lover are the language and the sex scenes. Ok well, the 'bad' language comes with the territory of these Brothers being the type of 'look at me the wrong way and I'll break you in two' men that they are so I have no problem with it. And the sex scenes were not so often as they detract from the book, just enough so that they add another dimension to Wrath and Beth's relationship, they're not too long and drawn out either, so again, this is not something I had a problem with.

LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT! Definitely one of the best books I own. If you love paranormal romance you have to read this!


My Rating: 5/5