For The Love of Reading: REVIEW - LOVER AWAKENED - BOOK ;3 OF THE BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD

Friday, July 1, 2011

REVIEW - LOVER AWAKENED - BOOK ;3 OF THE BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD

Author: J.R. Ward
Pages: 464 pages
Publisher: Signet
Published: September, 2006
Form: Paperback
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood Novels #3
Adlibris: Link

I just finished the third book, and with still 4 hours to bed time and no book 4, what am I to do?!

I shall write the review, and then tomorrow hunt down part 4.

I am really starting to like J.R Ward's vampires - few facts that separate them from aka normal vampires. They are not dead, they are alive, a species living away from human awareness. They drink blood, but only from each other and the opposite sex, they don't hunt humans. The Lessers are hunting them, killing vampires due to a jealous streak on Omega's side on Virgin Scribe who created the vampire race. They eat food as well as drink vampire blood for nutrition. They breathe and have other bodily hindrances. They are not immortal but live up to 1000 years.

But now to Book ;3 - it is definitely the darkest and most disturbing of the three, tapping on the issues of slavery and sexual abuse, almost disturbing enough to want to skip some of Zsadist's memories.

Zsadist is the male lead, a broken vampire warrior, feared and loathed by everyone he meets, except for our leading lady, Bella. Where Zsadist is rude, asshole and all around evil guy, Bella is kind, caring and determent.

In Book :2 Bella is kidnapped at the end of the book by Mr. O, a soulless Lesser, and in this book we begin with Zsadist's rampant search for her. Bella, who's been in captivity under the Lesser-fallen-in-love is fairly broken as well and Zsadist and Bella begin to heal each other.

Into the mix comes Zsadist's twin brother Phury who is just as infatuated with Bella as his brother.

As Bella tries to get through with Z, he relives a lot of his torment from the time of his change to vampire when he was taken as captive as a blood slave. These parts are bit hard to read, but show why he is and acts the way he does.

The story also follows more on John Matthew, as he meets Beth, Wrath's Queen and wife, now if you have read books 1 and 2 you can guess who he is, I know I did. John begins his studies and training to become a soldier, and possibly a member of the brotherhood. He also find great attachment to Thor and his wife Wellsie who short of legalities adopt him.

Mr. O wreaks havoc trying to find Bella, who he believes is his wife and who he, in his twisted way, loves.

We also meet Rehvenge, Bella's disturbed and filled with anger brother - who I know will come up in future books.

We also get new glimpse into Butch's and Marissa's relationship which will be what Book 4 is about.

Saddest story so far, but like all good books it has a good ending.

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