Cover Reveal: The King by J.R. Ward

O.M.F.G!!!!!!

LOOK AT THIS BEAUTY! LOOK AT IT! THE EPICNESS CONTINUES!

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. 

Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward

Title: Lover Unbound
Author: J.R. Ward
Info: Website | Facebook
Release Date: September 25th, 2007
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Pages: 502
Format: Paperback
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: Dark Lover, Lover Eternal, Lover Awakened, & Lover Revealed
Age Group: Adult

Ruthless and brilliant, Vishous, son of the Bloodletter, possesses a destructive curse and a frightening ability to see the future. As a pretrans growing up in his father's war camp he was tormented and abused. As a member of the Brotherhood, he has no interest in love or emotion, only the battle with the Lessening Society. But when a mortal injury puts him in the care of human surgeon, Dr. Jane Whitcomb compels him to reveal his inner pain and taste true pleasure for the first time-until a destiny he didn't choose takes him into a future that cannot include her...

V was always the mysterious one to me. I could never understand this man and I think that J.R. Ward did that on purpose until readers would get to this book. And I loved how she just kept giving little hints here and there about V's destiny and who he is -- and especially how he is in bed. -Wink-Wink-

What I have to say, though, is that Ward is not a predictable woman. She surprises readers at every turn. I would never, in a hundred years, imagine the things that happened with V or even where he comes from. That was a jaw dropper. But I won't say anything about that, but I have to say that Ward's secret plan to keep readers always seems to be to keep them on their toes and she does that incredibly well.

For V, life sucks, literally. He grew up with a horrible father, in a cruel environment, with just the worst conditions. Where he comes from plays a huge role in who he becomes and why he is the way he is. Everyone has a story and Ward played her cards right in order to get the best story out of V, dropping hints here and there, but ultimately leaving Vishous to explain who he is.

I loved Jane. She was perfect for V in every way and I just found her so funny and humorous. While this novel did do something different than the others with adding something of Jane first before the Brothers, it all still came together amazingly.

What I wasn't ready for are the things that happened between the beginning of the novel and the end, which once again plays with Ward's unpredictable nature.

And like her other books Ward sets the stage for the next book to come, which should be fun. I cannot wait to see what happens to Phury, and I am trying so hard not to read any reviews on that book, because I am seriously hoping for the best.

There is also John Mathew and his grew. I am seriously hoping for the best, but I already have an idea on who his own love interest can be, and while I am surprised, I have to say that it'll be a very awkward pairing, especially if readers remember the history between her and Butch. Though, I don't think that Ward would include that. For some reason I keep waiting for Butch and Beth's human life to catch up to them, but it was like after their books were finished so was everything in their past. I mean it's like there's no bringing it up, so everyone might just pretend none of it happened or something.

And there was a little thing I noticed that happened with Jane's employer, Manny. I have to say if my suspicion is correct that will be really awkward. I don't know about any of you but it's like the Brotherhood picked Caldwell, NY because that's where all their brothers are at or something.

I don't know, it just seems they keep finding relatives and mates there.

The plot is getting a little thicker, but it seems the lessers are not much of a role in this book, so I'm just waiting for something big to happen. I thought something book would happen several books back, but Ward had to intervene. Ah well, that's not really a big deal or anything, just saying that it seems mindless to keep fighting these people without some kind of big follow up or something to look forward to.

Either way, I love Ward's books and I will keep devouring them one by one, including her other series, which I hear crosses paths with this series.

And on the off note, I am really frustrated with Tohr. Where the hell is this man and what's taking him so long to make a reappearance? Honestly, I am mostly impatient to get to that book in order to see what happens with him, and no, I won't skip a book just to get to it.

Okay, wrapping up, I just have to say how much I am falling in love with this book series. Ward continues her mastery in being an unpredictable, action filled, jaw-dropping, erotic, heart-stopping, page turning author that fills her books with goodness that just never stops.

Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward

Title: Lover Revealed
Author: J.R. Ward
Info: Website | Facebook
Release Date: March 6th, 2007
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Pages: 480
Format: Paperback
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: Dark Lover, Lover Eternal, & Lover Awakened
Age Group: Adult

Butch O'Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard-living ex-homicide cop, he's the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world-to engage in the turf war with the lessers. His heart belongs to a female vampire, Marissa, an aristocratic beauty who's way out of his league. And if he can't have her, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers.

But fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, he's found by a miracle, and the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back, though even her love may not be enough to save him.

Honestly, what can I say about this series and author that I haven't said already?! Ward is amazing! The books just get better and better, and I think this one is really a turning point in the book series.

Sometimes there are those books that really just bridges in the series that help the reader's get to the real meat of the story, and I was a little afraid that it would become one of those books, but the author surprised me. I never imagined that when I read the first book Butch would become such an important character later on. Honestly, I was pegging him for someone that would just stick around for that one book; I was surprised that they let him into the brotherhood, and now this!

And Marissa, it's like she's the poster child for developed characters. This girl went from being the shy meek girl reader's remember that who was unloved by Wrath, but later turned into someone important. I realized that when Butch first met Marissa later on that things would happen, but I would never get what actually happened.

Honestly, the character's were just wow the entire book. And John kept breaking my heart and repairing it. I cannot wait to read this boy's story.

And then there's Vicious, who I have to read about now. He is turning into someone that needs some serious looking at. Talk about the road to self-destruction, but I am so glad the next book is about him.

This book held so many surprises. I can tell that from here things are going to get really interesting and all I can say is how excited I am that I discovered this book series. Ward is phenomenal.

Vampire lovers of the night take notice of this series, because it is sexy, dangerous, and all around enticing.

Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward

Title: Lover Awakened
Author: J.R. Ward
Info: Website | Facebook
Release Date: September 5th, 2006
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Pages: 434
Format: Paperback
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: Dark Lover & Lover Eternal
Age Group: Adult
Rating: 5 Stars

A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion—until he rescues a beautiful aristocrat from the evil Lessening Society.

Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for one another begins to overtake them both, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now, Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past, and find a future with her…

I am in love with this series.

Ward is nothing like most paranormal romance writers who tend to be pretty predictable after several books. Here, Ward has surprises for readers at every turn and make's her readers question and wonder what will happen. Ward is a genius.

This book was emotional at every turn as reader's got a look at the darkest brother of them all. Zsadist is a former blood slave with a haunted past that makes him withdrawn from the other brothers. But, when Bella needs to be rescued, Zsadist will go as far as it takes to get her back and avenge her.

For me, there were moments when I wish Bella would have just given up because she was hurting herself trying to reach out for him. And there were moments when I hated Zsadist because no matter what he always thought of himself as unworthy of love. So unworthy that he would even throw his twin into Bella's arms just to get away from her.

But that would only be my own pride talking. Honestly, half the things that Zsadist did I had no idea he had the will to do. It really presents just how much self-loathing he has for himself for something that was not within his own control.

Though, I have to say, holy character development! Within the span of one book this dark brother started to show cracks of light and by the end I was momentarily shocked by a lot of things. Zsadist really showed a lot of change and I loved Ward for really making character's Zsadist come out.

These books show how the darkest side of the brother's can be shed away in order to present a new light. But, sometimes it can go the other way around. I almost cried for Torhment and John. I know that Torh's story was just released, so I need to hurry up and catch up on these books because I need to find out what happens to him.

Overall, this series has stolen my heart and I hope to have it finished by the end of summer! Ward is honestly one of my new favorite author's out there. I am so glad I discovered this series!

Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward

Title: Lover Eternal
Author: J.R. Ward
Info: Website | Facebook
Release Date: March 7th, 2006
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Pages: 441
Format: Paperback
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: Dark Lover
Age Group: Adult

Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetites. He's the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover-for inside him burns ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin. Owned by this dark side, Rhage fears the time when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him.

Mary Luce, a survivor of many hardships is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world and reliant to Rhage's protection. With a life-threatening curse of her own, Mary is not looking for love. She lost her faith in miracles years ago. But when Rhage's intense animal attraction turns into something more emotional, he knows that he must make Mary his alone. And while their enemies close in, Mary fights desperately to gain life eternal with the one she loves...

Reader's fell in love with these characters in the first book and now the brothers are back and hotter than ever.

In the first book there was Wrath's story with his lovely Beth, but now it is Rhage's turn.

Known as the "play boy" of the brothers, Rhage takes sex and violence as a medication in order to keep the creature that rests inside of him at bay. And the idea of ever finding anyone because of the beast seemed to lessen within him. Until the day he meets Mary.

With her own body betraying her, Mary has very limited time, but when she runs into Rhage a world of possibilities start, but both of them will have a difficult time finding that peace they are looking for. Rhage, who has the beast that is stirring inside of him and Mary, who is fighting her own monster.

This book was a little different because it really started to bring out some subplots in the series. New characters are introduced and a bridge is formed between this book and the next one. 

In the plot line of Rhage and Mary, I almost burst into tears. Honestly, I had no idea what this Scribe Virgin was doing or why, but I just wanted to punch the woman. And I almost just stopped reading all together. I never realized that by the second book I would have become so emotionally tied with this book. And really, Ward does an amazing job really bringing out the emotions of the brothers. She brings them to light in a way that breathes lives to these men.

Despite the heavy hand that both Rhage and Mary have been handed they are determined to fight it all to be together.

I felt like this book was emotionally charged from page one, and the way things ended for Z, one of the brothers, I can tell it will only go up from here.

This might be a little early to state, but I can already sense a pattern so I'm just going to say it. I know that this book has been classified in some places under Erotica, but I feel like that does not describe this book series well at all. Erotica focuses more on the sex, and for these brothers it's obvious that what gets focused on is the love and the connections that are formed. Mates are slowly found and these brothers soon make connections while at the same time strengthening their brotherhood. And with these mates it's getting to know them and healing from the past in order to have a better future. To me it seems like that theme will play out a lot. 

Ward wrote a masterpiece about deadly vampires and a society of lessers that are growing by the minute and challenging the brothers where it hurts the most: the females.

Of course since I'm only on book three I could be wrong, so anyone can feel free to disagree with me on that, but that's the vibe I'm getting.

I cannot wait to read the rest of the continuing series because they are just amazingly hot and dark and seductive and full of dangerous men in leather. What more can a girl ask for, really?

Dark Lover by J.R. Ward

Title: Dark Lover
Author: J.R. Ward
Info: Website | Facebook
Release Date: September 6th, 2005
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Pages: 393
Format: Paperback
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Age Group: Adult
Rating: 5 Stars

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood. The only purebred vampire left on earth, 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-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams.

What do I love more than vampires? Sexy vampires and does this book have a lot of them.

I had no idea what to expect when I first picked this book up, but I am so glad I took the time to read this because it was amazing. The character development throughout the novel was great and I loved how Ward kept a tight hold on their distinguished characteristics that make them who they are. I loved Beth, who right from the start was a strong female character. Wrath was everything I expected him to be, but at the same time there were several surprises that Ward threw in that I was not expecting at all.

The vampires are very unique to the story, but Ward does the vampire genre justice by keeping some trademark's about vampires that make them the sexy bloodsuckers readers love. Their immortality and their resistance to the sunlight (and no, they do NOT sparkle). But Ward added her own take as well. These vampires have their own religion, they have their own hierarchy, and they essentially have their own culture.

If there was anything I have a problem with was how fast that Wrath and Beth fell for each other. I, like most readers, have issues with insta-love, because it's not realistic. Even if this is fiction I still want a taste of reality because there are people in these books. And the same thing with Butch, I just didn't think that was realistic. I felt like Beth's strong character could have come out more if she didn't portray all the vulnerability that she did. I also didn't like how she reacted to the news of her father. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I did not imagine her taking it so well.

These are little things, but they still got to me. Also, I didn't like how long it took for some action to start up. The novel essentially goes through several points of views, so the reader can see Beth's side, and then Wrath's, and then Butch, and then the antagonist. I realize this is the first book in the series, but I wish there was a little more interaction between the antagonist and the story instead of them doing there own thing for about 85% of the novel.

But I can't complain too much because it all came together nicely in the end, and I'm not going to giveaway too much but I like to see methods to an author's madness.

And what else makes this book awesome? No love triangles! Okay, I am in the minority that loves love-triangles, because I just feel that makes the story more interesting (though they become predictable when the girl always goes with the bad guy or her best friend, so I wish they'd spice that up a little, but that's not for the here and now), but in this book there are no love-triangles. So, for the majority of readers out there that absolutely distaste love triangles this is a book to pick up.

Also, for those that don't read romance novels that much, I'd say give this book a chance. There isn't a lot of the...heat that romance novels have, so if there is a reader that isn't too much into that I'd say start here.

Basically, this book has a little for a variety of readers, which makes it a great book. When it is obviously directed to one group of readers, but yet can fit into other groups I'd say that the author did a bang up job.

It's funny, sexy, dark, haunting, and beautifully written. These characters are the kind that will stick around and be with reader's for a long time even after the last page is turned.