Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward

Title: Lover Unleashed
Author: J.R. Ward
Info: Website | Facebook
Release Date: March 29th, 2011
Publisher: Signet
Pages: 537
Format: Paperback
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: Dark Lover, Lover Eternal, Lover Awakened, Lover Revealed, Lover Unbound, Lover Awakened, Lover Enshrined, & Lover Mine
Age Group: Adult

Payne, twin sister of the Black Dagger Brother Vishous, suffers a devastating injury, and brilliant human surgeon Manuel Manello is called in to save her. Their attraction is instant, and as powerful as it is dangerous. But as human and vampire worlds collide, a centuries- old score catches up with Payne and puts both her love and her life in jeopardy.

I love this series, I really do. I pretty much ate up the majority of it last year and it was my Best Series of 2012 pick, but something about this book set my teeth on edge. Maybe I just miss the fact that this story didn't focus on the main guys anymore or maybe it was just how all over the place I felt. I know that Ward is trying to set up the next book, but I think she did it just a little too much this time and not giving us, the readers, time to know Manny and Payne.

While the romance was just as hot and steamy, and Manny proved to be just the type of man that would be right for Payne, I did feel like there was too much sex. I would have liked them to connect in another way (and for maybe Manny not to have so many turn on moments - I get it, she's hot, she gets your you-know-what going, but do you have to keep telling us?!). And I get there's a lot of drama in Qhuinn and Blay's life, but we still have another book between this one and them! Maybe that's why I was a little unhappy. Tohr was completely overlooked, even though his book was next and I wouldn't be surprised if I read that book to find out that it was just another bridge book to Qhuinn and Blay, because that's what I feel like this book was, just a bridge book.

Despite my laundry list of problems with this book, I did like it. It took me a little longer than the rest of the books to read (we're talking days instead of hours) I think that Manny and Payne was a little surprising but a good pairing. I wish that Manny had been brought up a few books before (the last we heard of him was in V's book) but like I said I think that Ward is focusing way too much on Qhuinn and Blay.

Not to mention this series is getting really complicated. It feels like Ward has gone away from this war with the Lessers to this war with each other. If the Lessers don't end up killing them, they'll end up killing each other with all the drama that goes on. How many attempts on Wrath's life have there been already? Not to mention the fact that the Lessers were hardly mentioned except for a handful of fighting scenes...this really has turned away from what the first few books introduced me to.

And then there's a new enemy. I didn't like the way things went down between Xcor and Payne. This is a little spoiler, but for a man to spend so many centuries looking for a person and to have things end the way they did between the two, well, can I just say that it was a real let down.

Overall, there wasn't a lot of fighting going on. Just a lot of internal emotions to get resolved. We got way more of V than we did in his book, which surprised me. And am I the only one who was really confused about what was going on with Jose and his partner? According to other reviews I read it was setting up for her Fallen Angels book (which I am horribly behind on) but I just felt like that was something that could have been taken out. Almost like filler pages, because if this was for the Fallen Angels book why couldn't she just leave it on her Fallen Angels book? I'm sorry, Ward, but we know that the BDB and the FA series will cross, they take place in the same city for Goodness sake!

And last, I understand how a long and complicated series like this things tend to get...mistaken. I read from an interview Ward did that she has made mistakes as the series goes on, but in this book I felt like her editor was not paying too much attention to what was going on. If I didn't love this series so much I probably would have taken a red pen and corrected everything and then my book wouldn't look so pretty. There were things that she mentioned in passed books that she brought back, only she completely disagreed with herself or something. The big one that I noticed is that in one book she mentioned that Qhuinn was color blind, yet he could see color just fine in this book. And there were other things like that that she did that had me stopping and thinking, "Wait, that's not what you said in (insert book title here). What the heck are you doing?"

I'm not going to give this book a five, because of the mess I just mentioned above. I should be giving this book a two or even a one for everything that was going on, but I can't argue with her writing style and the way she's able to keep the readers attention. And somehow through this mess she's able to still make the reader care about these characters and what's going on.

I know she said that she would keep writing this series as long as they were to continue to sell, and I know that she has a lot of books coming up, and I am very excited for them all, I just hope that for these future books she and/or her editor look through them with a fine comb. Even write up a journal with what's been going on or something, because if she continues like this the books would probably fall to pieces and lose their readership.

I do wish that the women would start playing a bigger part. I'm glad that there are some women that are fighting and I'm glad that Ward mentions them, but I do wish that they would become a bigger part of the story and that they say things. I think Ehlena was mentioned way too much, yet she never said a word. That just got me a little upset.

And this review is much longer than I expected it to be, but I would just keep aware for all the BDB fan's out there who haven't gotten to this book yet: be prepared. Things won't be as good as the first eight books or even the first five, which were my absolute favorite!


Read, but be cautious about what will be found.

Lover Mine by J.R. Ward

Title: Lover Mine
Author: J.R. Ward
Info: Website | Facebook
Release Date: November 30th, 2012
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Pages: 656
Format: Paperback
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: Dark Lover, Lover Eternal, Lover Awakened, Lover Revealed, Lover Unbound, Lover Enshrined, & Lover Avenged
Age Group: Adult

 John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown to himself and to those around him. After he was taken in by the Brotherhood, no one could guess what his true history was- or his true identity. Indeed, the fallen Brother Darius has returned, but with a different face and a very different destiny. As a vicious personal vendetta takes John into the heart of the war, he will need to call up on both who he is now and who he once was in order to face off against evil incarnate.

Xhex, a symphath assassin, has long steeled herself against the attraction between her and John Matthew. Having already lost one lover to madness, she will not allow the male of worth to fall prey to the darkness of her twisted life. When fate intervenes, however, the two discover that love, like destiny, is inevitable between soul mates

John, oh my John. It's strange, but I'm actually not as in love with him as others are. My heart belongs to only one brother and that's Rhage, but most seem crazy about John. I think it has a lot to do with the whole mute thing. They see a vulnerability and they just fall for it, or something like that. But, anyways, I don't hate him either. He's cute, I'll give him that.

Well, anyways, this story was great and different. I loved the way things start to shift and get a closer look at Xhex, the first female fighter the Brothers have had to deal with. She is strong, independent, and headstrong, and I think that works to both her advantage and disadvantage. Her advantage, because she is able to go out in the daylight and she's sneaky so its difficult for her to be found. But, disadvantage because its obviously going to take a lot of work for John and Xhex to find balance. John still has this overprotective side to him when it comes to her. 

Though, the way they work together is amazing. 

And, at one point, I actually felt sorry for Lash. Not only do the number of people that are after him could make up a village, now he has an added problem that just, honestly, confuses me. I really don't know what to make of him or anything. I won't hesitate to say though that he had it coming. 

Honestly, I'm amazed I made it this far and I'm still loving the books. Ward is very consist, and for a series this big with so many story lines I could just imagine how the planning goes. I would probably lose my head in all honesty. And she keeps up with the next-story setting, or at least that's what I call it. Her books just have a way to set the stage for the next book to come, and I wish I had seen a little bit more of Payne, but instead she just jumped in and started on Blay and Qhuinn, in my opinion. I mean, their important obviously, but there's still two more books before them so give us time, Ward, please. 

And on that note, there's also the problem that John and Xhex didn't get much of a spotlight, or at least the way that past books have put attention to the main couple. I mean, I still remember when back in Dark Lover the story was centrally about Wrath and Beth. But, I guess the story has increased and a lot is really taking place. 

Overall, this story was amazing. John was a complete joy to read and Xhex was just as stressful as she promised to be from a glimpse of the passed books. 

This book series keeps getting hotter and hotter. And when the ending comes, whenever that will be, I'm sure that Ward will leave us with an epic ending! Until then, enjoy the changes and the way things are progressing. 

Lover Avenged by J.R. Ward

Title: Lover Avenged
Author: J.R. Ward
Info: Website | Facebook
Release Date: April 28th, 2009
Publisher: Signet
Pages: 642
Format: Paperback
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: Dark Lover, Lover Eternal, Lover Awakened, Lover Revealed, Lover Unbound, & Lover Enshrined
Age Group: Adult

Caldwell, New York, has long been the battleground for the vampires and their enemies, the Lessening Society. It's also where Rehvenge has staked out his turf as a drug lord and owner of a notorious night club that caters to the rich and heavily armed. His shadowy reputation is exactly why he's approached to kill Wrath, the Blind King and leader of the Brotherhood.

Rehvenge has always kept his distance from the Brotherhood-even though his sister is married to a member, for he harbors a deadly secret that could make him a huge liability in their war against the lessers. As plots within and outside of the Brotherhood threaten to reveal the truth about Rehvenge, he turns to the only source of light in his darkening world, Ehlena, a vampire untouched by the corruption that has its hold on him-and the only thing standing between him and eternal destruction.

Talk about the series moving along. Book 7 and things are starting to move, which I don't know if that's a good thing or bad thing that it took this long, but hot damn were things happening.

Again, Ward continues with the multiple story lines, and I kept expecting them to somehow cross, but I have to say she's really good at just keeping them parallel with each other. And this time, the main focus had been Rehv. I was a little afraid of this actually, because up until now I have always been a little afraid of Rehvenge. He was just so intimidating and Ward made it easy to fear him a little. A drug lord, pimp, and apparently a whore as well. Um, that's a long story as in the novel type long. And it was actually the last part that really got my attention and made me see him in a different light.

I think Ehlena was a very good match for him. Though I had wished that, like most of her books, she had introduced Ehlena a little earlier in the series. By this time most readers are very familiar with the Brothers and the extra characters that are mentioned here and there throughout the works, so I was a little surprised by the sudden introduction, but that didn't stop me from loving this book any less.

Honestly, even though the story is getting complicated and the characters are becoming darker and there were moments that made me shudder a little, I have to say that Ward is absolutely amazing. She is detailed, she let's readers get to know the characters, and she keeps bringing them back in order to drill into the minds of the readers, I'm thinking, about this world. She does not just put to bed the characters, which I like since I absolutely hate when authors introduce character and a few books later drop them off like they never happened.

Well, I have to say there were some silver linings. The Brotherhood is slowly getting back on their feet, but just as their are silver linings so are there absolute tortures. Things are not looking good for Wrath, John is slowly becoming a different man, and Lash is out for blood.

Things are happening everywhere and I think it'll take a few books for everything to slowly tie together.

Honestly, I don't know what to say that I haven't said about this series. There are major character developments and I love that.

Ward continues to give a dark, haunting, sexy, beautifully written, extraordinary characters that will live on in the world of fiction for a long time.

Lover Enshrined by J.R. Ward

Title: Lover Enshrined
Author: J.R. Ward
Info: Website | Facebook
Release Date: June 3rd, 2008
Publisher: Signet
Pages: 534
Format: Paperback
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: Dark Lover, Lover Eternal, Lover Awakened, Lover Revealed, & Lover Unbound
Age Group: Adult

Fiercely loyal to the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Phury has sacrificed himself for the good of the race, becoming the male responsible for keeping the Brotherhood's bloodlines alive. As Primale of the Chosen, he is obligated to father the sons and daughters who will ensure that the traditions of the race survive, and that there are warriors to fight those who want all vampires extinguished.

As his first mate, the Chosen Cormia wants to win not only his body, but his heart for herself. She is drawn to the noble responsibility behind the emotionally scarred male. But Phury has never allowed himself to know pleasure or joy. As the war with the Lessening Society grows grim, tragedy looms over the Brotherhood's mansion, and Phury must decide between duty and love..

I am really not sure how I feel about this book or even if the rating should be as it is. I have become emotionally invested into this series at this point and I find myself close to each and every Brother. Most I know their secrets - even those that aren't the center point to the story - and I understand where they come from.

Phury, I think, was probably the most emotionally scarred that I have ever come across. He takes on such responsibility on his shoulders that its no wonder he turns to drugs repeatedly throughout the book series. I can't even imagine why he would do such a thing to himself, but when getting into his head, one sees this internal battle that's fought. His brother had been taken from his family, he was accused of being a curse, his family completely fell apart, and the list snowballs out of control from there. And there's that little voice that commands his every action; I am shocked he hadn't lost his mind. 

I wanted to cry in the moment when Phury and Z had a heart-to-heart. When one works so hard to keep life as clean as possible for the other, when one gives and gives, and suddenly they see themselves at the edge of a cliff. Phury gives and gives, and now he has left nothing for himself. 

At first I was angry at Ward's fate for Phury, but not as angry as I should have been because I think it was a sign that most people were dodging up until it came up. 

And like the rest of Ward's books, this one has multiple story lines. Lash's true self has been revealed, John and his friend's have their own drama, which in turn has a lot of drama for the elite vampire society, which has another drama and on and on it goes. The story has truly become complex and to some extent I was feeling like I was reading more about the others than I was about Phury. I mean, Ward, I love to see what you have planned for future books, but can we focus on the one that this one was intended for, please? 

Ward has stated that she doesn't know how many books will come out of this series, so as we get more and more dramas popping out you can for sure count on each minor character in those tales getting their own book...eventually. 

And I don't want to give out any spoilers, but something big takes place. Well, several something bigs, but one of them I think fans of the series will really like.