Black Dagger Brotherhood Part 3: Upcoming Release & Giveaway

This marks our third week of spotlighting J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. So, for those of you anxiously awaiting March 26th, 2013 which is when we'll FINALLY be getting the long anticipated Qhuay book Lover At Last, here are our reviews of the last four books in the series as a recap.

So enjoy the reviews and be sure to check back next week when we announce the winner for our giveaway of Lover at Last.

Lover Avenged (Black Dagger Brotherhood #7) by J.R. Ward
Published April 28th 2009 by NAL Hardcover

My Thoughts

As much as this was one of my favorite covers of the entire series, I have to admit Lover Avenged didn't rank highest on my list. I did come to really like Rehvenge and Ehlena. After everything they went through, they proved to be a perfect match.

What I did enjoy about this book was getting a chance to see Wrath and Beth come to the forefront of the story once again. They seemed to have played minor secondary roles since their story, so it was great to revisit these two characters.

Overall, this book continued to cement my addiction to this series. I feel Ward's story just gets better and better, overall, with each installment. Every character that shares their story seems to add substance to the overall adventure. Great installment!

4 Suns

Lover Mine (Black Dagger Brotherhood #8) by J.R. Ward

Published April 27th 2010 by NAL

My Thoughts
Yes, I would hold you up. I will always hold you up and hold you dear, lover mine. - JM

Okay, I can easily commit this review to a snarkfest of molecular vampiric experimenting, but at the end of the day, it’s not deserving of that. I really enjoyed Lover Mine. Maybe because I’ve been waiting for John Matthew’s book since the very beginning and finally having read his story, I have to say it’s my favorite.

John Matthew and Xhex are a great pair. They are both strong and extremely flawed. J.R. Ward writes some pretty good female characters and Xhex is at the top of the list of my faves.

Overall I really, I loved the twists and turns, and most importantly the final outcome for John Matthew and Xhex. It was entertaining to read about Wrath and Payne’s sparring scenes and as always I’m waiting for that moment between Qhuinn and Blay. Kinda bummed it didn’t happen in this book. I’m still holding out that it will. ((wink))

The cliffy at the end with regards to Payne was flawlessly executed and I can’t wait to read her story when it’s released. So far, my fave BDB book.

5 Suns

Lover Unleashed (Black Dagger Brotherhood #9) by J.R. Ward

Published March 29th 2011 by NAL Hardcover

My Thoughts
Well it definitely felt like a long wait for this anticipated series installment of BDB and Lover Unleashed didn’t disappoint. We don’t get too see all of the brothers in their badass glory, but those that we do have a chance to run into, there are definitely sparks and high action. Very entertaining and fast paced from beginning to end.

This installment is told in equal measure for both Payne and Vishous. This set of twins, daughter and son of the Scribe V!rgin and Bloodletter, struggle to define their relationship with each other has they’ve been kept separated for centuries. Payne has know of V’s existence and has even put her safety on the line to protect her brother from the cruelty of their father. Her final act led to her punishment of seclusion for over two centuries. When she’s brought into the world of the brotherhood it’s because she’s suffered a grave injury, accidental as it may be, from their king Wrath. She’s brought into the brotherhood compound and put in the hands of a human healer to save her life. There begins the struggles to become a part of this world and her brother’s life.

I loved Payne and Manny’s relationship. They definitely kept me at the edge of my book sheet. When we met Manny in book five, I was hoping he’d be brought back into the storyline somehow and Ward did a great job weaving him into the brotherhood. There were a few moments of convenience that I had to just take it for what it was worth, but overall, these two deserve their happy ending and I was satisfied with the choices they made for each other. Not everyone has to be a vamp in this story, so I liked that.

Wow! I have no words for what happened to V in this book. The pain and struggle he went through were definitely heartbreaking and the way Butch pulled through for him… well let’s just say… besides admitting that I like those two together… other than that… I have no words. O.O

Overall I really enjoyed this installment. There were mouth dropping moments, drool worthy scenes, and heart pumping action. Everything I’ve come to expect from Ward, so the only reason I’m removing one star is as a foot stomping tantrum for the Qhuay moment that didn’t happen. COME.ON.WARD!!! Just make it happen and you’ll have a ton of happy fans!! Do it already!! We’ve waited too long. Gah!

4 Suns

Lover Reborn (Black Dagger Brotherhood #10) by J.R. Ward

Published March 27th 2012 by NAL

My Thoughts
Chance is unfair by definition, and random...

Our future has come...

Wow! ~rubs face and shakes with emotion~ Just… wow!

The most angsty BDB book to date and that’s saying a lot!

So let me just start by sharing that when I heard the tenth installment of the Black Dagger Brotherhood was going to be dedicated to Torh, my excitement level for Lover Reborn was pretty minimal. I felt Torh had his moment, experienced his tragedy, and fell into a cesspit of despair that I didn’t want to experience for more than a few paragraphs.

So it was with a bit of reservation for Torh and a ton of anticipation for Qhuay… yes Qhuay… that I picked up this latest installment. I felt going in that I’d do a ton of skimming and just use my search feature on my Nook for Qhuay… just Qhuay… nothing else but a moment or two of Qhuay. Right? I don’t think I was the only one, so I’m not blushing too much admitting that little bit.

Anywho, let me tell you… HOLY! HYPOXIA! BATMAN! was I ever wrong!

I don’t think I’ve felt this strongly about a BDB brother since Rhage convinced me not to give up on this series. Torh’s journey in this book is filled with a heavy serving of pain, and ample amount of hope and carefully measured happiness in the smallest of doses. Everything he shares with us in this book, every word, every action had me either on the verge of hysterical tears or skeptical happiness.

There were so many moments that are branded in my brain, but I have to just share one that really stood out to me. See I have a hang-up when it comes to books and characters and it all revolves around names… I love nicknames, I love endearments and I have to know the characters’ names in the story up front for me to feel grounded and set for the adventure. So when Torh encounters No’One, I thought OH HALE NO! I can’t enjoy this story calling someone by the name No’One and I’ll admit now that I skipped ahead to find out what her real name was or would be. Well, there was this scene when Torh and No’One she share a moment where there’s no turning back, and he tells No'One her:

"Autumn is my favorite season of the year,” he said after a time. “It’s not that I’m chicking out or anything…. But I like the leaves when they turn red and orange. They’re beautiful in the moonlight, but more to the point, it’s an important transformation. The green of spring and the summer is just a shadow of the trees’ true identity, and all that color as the night grows cold is a miracle every stinking time it happens. It’s like they’re making up for the loss of the warmth with all their fire. I like… Autumn. You’re like that. You’re beautiful and you burn brightly – and it’s time for you to come out. So I say… Autumn.”

~lurves struck sigh~ So beautiful.

The journey for these two characters was pretty intense all the way through and there was one scene where I was just about to give up on them and call it quits. It’s like every time Torh made some progress, fate would step in and reshuffle the board for him and he said it best when he called fate “sadistic and endlessly inventive.” All so very emotional, but ultimately rewarding.

Lastly, I have to just say that I adored Lassiter in this book. That angel of darkness or light (your guess is as good as mine) stole so many moments of this show and really proved that he deserves his own book. I have a whole string of Lassitisms that I don’t want to forget. He was just that awesome.

Overall, one of the best so far and I canNOT wait to get my hands on book 11. Loved it!

5 Suns

Well those are our reviews of the entire series of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. As you can see, Crystal and I are absolutely HUGE fans of these books, and next week brings us the next installment that we have been pining for what feels like FOREVER!!  Don't forget to enter to win a copy of Lover at Last! We will be announcing the winner on the release date, so be sure to visit us on March 26th! Good luck!

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