Lover Avenged by J.R. Ward ~ Review

Title: Lover Avenged (Black Dagger Brotherhood #7)

Author: J.R. Ward

Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance

Length: 527 pages

Publisher: NAL

Release Date: April 28th, 2009

Source: Purchased

Reviewed by: Jasmyn

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.

**********

Rehvenge is a complicated character. His dual nature is a constant struggle and the source of a recent medical issue with his drug of choice. I really enjoyed learning more about his history and life. At first, he didn't seem like the right person for Ehlena. She was a gentle and loving soul, which is everything that Rehvenge appeared not to be. When they meet, however, they have this wonderful clash of personalities that just works for both of them on so many levels.

As with the rest of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, there is so much more going on behind the scenes. We get to see into the Sympath colony and it really helps to explain a lot about the way Rehvenge lives and his attitudes towards much of life. His history is a little creepy - especially when we find out more about his family, so be prepared for an "ewwww, gross" moment or two.

The story is full of twists and reveals and the plot behind the scenes continues to move forward. I feel like something big is about to happen and I can't wait to find out what it is. While we get to see almost all of the brothers and a couple of the girls, I really wish we got to see more of the women in their lives. They are all such awesome characters, and I want to see more about what they are doing.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Black Dagger Brotherhood

Dark Lover #1
Lover Eternal #2
Lover Awakened #3
Lover Revealed #4
Lover Unbound #5
Lover Enshrined #6
Father Mine 6.5

Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward ~ Audiobook Review

Title: Lover Unbound (Black Dagger Brotherhood #5)

Author: JR Ward
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: 502 pages - Audio
Publisher: Signet Books
Release Date: October 1, 2007
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3
Heat Rating: 3
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

In Caldwell, New York, war rages between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers—six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Now the cold heart of a cunning predator will be warmed against its will...

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...

I had a hard time buying some of this one. Vishous is quite a cold hearted vampire. His history was a rough one, and I did enjoy seeing how it shaped him and his personality. A lot more about him made sense after reading this book. I felt a little sorry for him to be honest.  Although I still don't quite understand how this odd relationship with Butch fits into the whole thing.

Vishous is feeling a little sorry for himself now that his bromance has found a mate of his own. He puts himself at risk needlessly and ends up in a human hospital - this is one of the worst things that can happen. Human doctors can quickly see the difference between vampire and human anatomy (and I found some of the differences to be fascinating).

Enter Dr. Jane Whitcomb. We get a ton of history about her - some of it was a bit confusing. I kept waiting for her sister to pop up again in the story and she never did. Maybe she does later? There were some pretty heavy hints dropped that I kept waiting for her to appear.

Jane quickly realizes Vishous is different than any patient she's ever seen before. And when she's kidnapped to keep watch over her patient after he's rescued the "I love her - but she's human - but I love her - but she's human" begins and never seems to end.

Well, eventually it does, and I think JR Ward wrote herself into a corner again. There are a few times now that she's really broken the rules of her own world again. I think this was my biggest pet peeve of the series so far. She finds a way to sort of make it work, but it's not quite within the rules either.

There are some pretty big reveals about some of the brotherhood, which I like. And I enjoy seeing all them in each story. Revisiting past favorites is always fun - but I wish the women had a stronger appearance as well.

Goodreads | Amazon | Audible | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Black Dagger Brotherhood

Dark Lover #1
Lover Eternal #2
Lover Awakened #3
Lover Revealed #4

Lover Mine #8

Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward

Title: Lover Revealed (Black Dagger Brotherhood #4)
Author: J.R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: AudioBook
Publisher: Onyx
Release Date: March 6, 2007
Source: Purchased
Rating: 2
Heat Rating: 4
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

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. He's got nothing to lose. His heart belongs to a female vampire, an aristocratic beauty who's way out of his league. If he can't have Marissa, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers...

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. But even her love may not be enough to save him...

I wasn't a fan of this one. There were just so many things that didn't quite add up to me and it still bothers me. Butch seems to have been given part of the Omega - but the Omega can't find him? Thinks he's dead? Doesn't add up - especially as we find out more about how souls return and Lessers are created. I couldn't find a way to believe any of ti.

The part I did like was Vishous and learning more about his character and abilities. He's really quite fascinating. A lot of this book was taken up with characters that weren't our main couple. I still struggle with John. I just don't see him as an adult, but more of a 13 year old boy. Learning more about Rehv was amazing. I hope he gets his own story down the line - I think he deserves it.

All in all, this just wasn't the one for me. I'm going to move on and get started on the next because I think it's going to be much better, and I still want to see what happens in everyone's lives.

 Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Black Dagger Brotherhood

Dark Lover #1
Lover Eternal #2
Lover Awakened #3

Lover Mine #8

Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward

Title: Lover Awakened (Black Dagger Brotherhood #3)
Author: J.R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: 434 Pages
Publisher: Signet
Release Date: September 5, 2006
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5
Heat Rating: 3
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Of these, Zsadist is the most terrifying member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

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 loved Zsadist. In all the previous books he is continually portrayed as a hard, mean, almost-evil type of person. But, I wanted him to be something different. And J.R. Ward let him be that something different without actually changing him. (Confusing, I know, but it is what it is.) Zsadists's past has left him beyond scarred - and as you read through his and his brothers memories, you will see exactly why he behaves the way he does. It is the only way he knows to survive.

But when Bella is taken by the Lesser Society, Zsadist is determined to find her and set her free. Not just from them, but from himself. It's one of the most selfless acts I've ever seen in a romance book. Knowing that it will destroy him, he pushes her into the arms of someone he views as "more appropriate" and "worthy" than he is.

A lot of the "action" in this book is within Zsadist and Bella, watching the work through and around their issues and fears was amazing. I think they are going to be one of the strongest couples - at least from what I've seen so far.

There's a lot of tragedy in this book - which really surprised me. I thought for sure it was all going to be a joke - but..... Overall, an amazing story that will hit you right in the heart in so many ways.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo 

Black Dagger Brotherhood

Dark Lover #1
Lover Eternal #2

Lover Mine #8

Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward

Title: Lover Eternal (Black Dagger Brotherhood #2)

Author: J.R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: Audiobook
Publisher: Signet
Release Date: March 7, 2006
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3
Heat Rating: 3
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war raging between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Possessed by a deadly beast, Rhage is the most dangerous of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

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 a 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 on 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...

I really like Rhage. He stood out from the rest of the Brotherhood in book one, and I was excited to see his story come so soon in the series. He's a cursed vampire - cursed with an uncontrollable beast that is triggered by extreme emotions (paid, anger, lust). And once the beast is released, he only goes away after destroying (and eating - ew) everything around it.

As a human, Mary is a bit shocked when she is dragged into the vampire world through a young man that she meets when he calls the Suicide Hotline she volunteers at. This boy is something special, and I have some strong suspicions he's a result of something from the first book, but I didn't find out and I think I may be waiting awhile for his story. But he plays a fairly prominent role in Lover Eternal and makes a great character. Anyway, Mary, she's an interesting study in opposites. She's a strong woman, but her illness makes her weak. She's incredibly intelligent, but she finds herself immersed in a world where she has everything to learn.

Her and Rhage have an interesting start to their relationship as he is ordered to erase himself from her mind. But there is something about the way she speaks that Rhage needs to have. I love that something so simple as the sound of her voice is what initially draws him to her, not her looks, or having to rescue her, it was a great way to make their start different than what I usually see out there.

We get to see a lot of the Brotherhood and a few of the characters from book one still pop up and I love being able to see the whole group in both books. The Lessers are still on the hunt and looking for a fight and we are introduced to a new civilian, Bella, that a friend of Mary's that seems to have more of her story to tell.

A great second book, but I feel the Mary and Rhage's solution was a little contrived. It felt like Ward had written herself into a corner and used the "but then the rules changed" option instead of playing within what she had already written.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Black Dagger Brotherhood

Dark Lover #1

Lover Mine #8

Dark Lover by J.R. Ward ~ Review

Title: Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood #1)

Author: J.R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: 393 pages/Audiobook
Publisher: Penguin Group
Release Date: September 6, 2005
Source: Self-Purchased
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: 3
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

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.

This was my first audio book this year, and my second audio book ever. The Black Dagger Brotherhood is a huge series and I figured it was about time to get started on it. I wasn't disappointed. The story was exciting and really held my interest from start to finish. There's an interesting mix of traditional lore and the author's own little twist. I loved the concept of the Lesser society. It was a new look at vampire slayers and demons that added a nice layer to the world Ward has created.

The Brotherhood was a little over the top - and I know they are supposed to be - but they were just too "big" for me. The saving grace was that they each seem to have some serious flaw in their physical-self, personality, or haunted past to help balance out their amazing power and size. Their leader, Wrath, is quite a hard person that is very driven in his task of taking out Lessers, even more so after the one of the Brotherhood is killed. There's quite a bit of suspense and excitement in the story that revolves around this death and the rise of power in the Lessers that takes the Brotherhood by surprise.

But this is a romance, and quite a good one. Beth is a unique woman, She's not a vampire, but she's not a human, and Wrath can't seem to stay away from her. I loved her fire and her spunk. She wasn't one to let a big vampire walk all over her and tell her what to do. Her introduction to the vampire world was great. I'm a big fan of the freak-out moment. The moment where someone realizes all those scary stories are real and they just walked into one. Beth's realization was great and it only made me like her more.

The narrator of the audiobook took a little getting used to. Partly because it was a male, and the voice in my reading head has always been female. But he told the story well and drew me in quickly. He was quite a nice companion on my daily walks.

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks

The Bourbon Kings by J. R. Ward - Review

Title:  The Bourbon Kings (The Bourbon Kings #1)
Author: J. R. Ward

Source:  Borrowed from the Public Library

Genre: Fiction

Length: 420 pages

Publisher:  NAL

Release Date: July 28, 2015

Reviewed by: Artemis

Rating – 4 Stars

Heat – 3 Flames

For generations, the Bradford family has worn the mantle of kings of the bourbon capital of the world. Their sustained wealth has afforded them prestige and privilege—as well as a hard-won division of class on their sprawling estate, Easterly. Upstairs, a dynasty that by all appearances plays by the rules of good fortune and good taste. Downstairs, the staff who work tirelessly to maintain the impeccable Bradford facade. And never the twain shall meet.

For Lizzie King, Easterly’s head gardener, crossing that divide nearly ruined her life. Falling in love with Tulane, the prodigal son of the bourbon dynasty, was nothing that she intended or wanted—and their bitter breakup only served to prove her instincts were right. Now, after two years of staying away, Tulane is finally coming home again, and he is bringing the past with him. No one will be left unmarked: not Tulane’s beautiful and ruthless wife; not his older brother, whose bitterness and bad blood know no bounds; and especially not the ironfisted Bradford patriarch, a man with few morals, fewer scruples, and many, many terrible secrets.

As family tensions—professional and intimately private—ignite, Easterly and all its inhabitants are thrown into the grips of an irrevocable transformation, and only the cunning will survive.

First the bad news:

--This is not a romance novel. It does not have a HEA - maybe a HFN.

--If you are expecting a BDB look-a-like wrapped in a contemporary setting, nope, not happening, not even close. The sex scenes are lame lacking, and the leading men are tame in comparison. 

Nevertheless, The Bourbon Kings is a damn good read! It kept me entertained and turning the pages. I felt the devilish J.R. Ewing on my shoulder the entire time. This is reminiscent of the shenanigans of the residents at the ranch at Southfork; only this time they are brewing bourbon in Kentucky.

Even though there are quite a few characters to weed though (all of that world building stuff), I didn't get lost trying to figure out who belonged where. Everyone has clear-cut personalities, and WOW - they are great getting to know. My favorite so far: Edward. His struggles give his character great strength to grow. My least favorite: Lizzie - bordering TSTL.

If you enjoyed the prime-time soap opera dramas of the 1970's, 80's, 90's; you are going to love this book. Ms. Ward alluded to a few of them, this is my favorite:

Heading off to the main road, she decided this had to be the result of her having contracted the flu and taken to her bed. Any moment she was going to wake up...
Really.
She was.

The Bourbon Kings has all of the elements for great television too. 

Yep, I'll be reading the next one!

Picutres from J.R. Ward's Crave book signing

I had another great time with all my friends from goodreads at J.R Wards signing again.. This time around I got a video of J.R. I hope you can here her some. I just taped a little of because I wanted you to see how much fun she is. I also got an extra crave book signed that will be given away on my blogs anniversary which will be in Dec., as time is flying that will be read soon.

Oh ya, I wanted to put a plug in for the wonderful book store there its called The Bookstore they have a huge selection of paranormal book and they also have so autographed book by Shiloh Walker if you want to call for a book the owner says he will gladly ship book to you. You find the last picture is me and a few friends, we either meet on goodreads or at a book signings. Its so much fun to make more reading friends, they always turn out more special because they become the best fiends you can find.


Here is the pictures please enjoy.

Pictures from J.R. Wards book signing

First off its Mother's Day, so I want to say happy Mother's day to all of you out there and I hope you enjoy the pictures of J.R. Ward today.


OMG! You should have been there or maybe you were;) I have never seen so many people in my life in a little book store. With so many people we had to limit or books being signed, but I was able thanks to Cathy, to get Lover Avenged autographed for the next giveaway of Blogmania. If I don't get accepted for Blogmania Cathy wants me to put it in a weekly giveaway for the blog.

I had so much fun with Stacey and there was quite a few form the Bloodlust club that also drove up and of course you always meet new people at a great book signing. I will add a few pictures of people just standing around us and I have some of just the whole store with people standing around waiting to see J.R. They also had cake I have a picture of that. But its not the whole cake its what was left by the time we got there. I have to say I was tired of standing, Stacey bought our books and got us in B line I feel for the people what was in the E line they had the longest wait. If you ever go to this make sure you buy a book form the store and the earlier the better that way you may get a seat or at least not stand so long.

If you ever have the chance please go to one of her books signings they are so much fun and its all because J.R. makes it fun. She lets you ask any kind of questions. With Wards trucker mouth and her I give just about anything out about my books makes you want to come back and yes, I have lots to tell, but sad to say when J.R. comes out she tells you what she lets out she doesn't want it out on the Internet, so I will not say one word.

Now as soon as I can get with Cathy she has some pictures of Jacquelyn Frank book signing that was here in Lebanon, I will post them. She also was able to get a book singed for a weekly giveaway here for the blog so that one will be coming up soon.





If you can see in the corner standing closest to the door by the man in black you'll see J.R. Wards mother.















This was our line B