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ihateprozac's review against another edition
5.0
It’s been a couple years since I’ve walked the streets of Caldwell, and I am so glad to be back. I discovered the books in 2009 and powered through everything available, only to fall into book-lover-limbo as I waited for J.R Ward to release a new instalment. I turned my attention to other books - and was admittedly exhausted by the oversaturation of the vampire romance genre at the time - but found my way back recently with the help of a friend.
If you’re expecting a tale for the ages of how Payne finds her soulmate you’ll be sorely disappointed. While this book is technically Payne’s love story, it’s realistically Vishous 2.0. And I’m okay with that. Admittedly I am biased towards V - he’s hella sarcastic, great with computers, has a killer magical right hand, and a fucked up backstory that tugs at my heartstrings - but I also understand why the story had to go this way. Payne just isn’t interesting enough to carry a story on her own. Sure, she’s got enough parental issues to fill a bathtub - which is basically a requirement of this series - but she just doesn’t have the charisma or intrigue.
I know a lot of people are miffed that these books are focusing less on one Brother finding his forever love, and instead tracking the movements of several new and different minor characters. This was actually something that vaguely bugged me about previous novels - while the timelines all work spectacularly, I always found it odd that after several centuries walking this earth each Brother fell in love in 21st century Caldwell, one after the other. It makes more sense for Ward to weave together storylines and focus on outlying characters, now that our core team have all shacked up.
So yeah, this book is a mix of V and Jane working through their complex emotional issues; Payne and Manny getting together; Payne working through some of her family issues with V and the Scribe Virgin; and the introduction of the Band of Bastards. And I am here for the Band of Bastards.
With the death of Lash, I was worried how Ward was going to continue pushing the Lessers as the number 1 villain in this series. They’re strong but the Brotherhood is stronger, and while the Brotherhood will occasionally make in-roads, they’re not strategic enough to really blow a hole in the Lesser ranks. And if the audience is tiring from your external threat, why not create an internal one?
Another reason why I grew tired of the Lessers was that they’re so one-dimensional. They’re all fuckheads who want to destroy the vampire race, for no reason other than Daddy Omega wants them to. Even traitorous Lash wasn’t that interesting once you got over the initial reveal and shock of the raids. That’s why the Band of Bastards are so fantastic: they’re all rough bastards who you don’t actually want to take leadership, but they’re much more complex and interesting than the baby powder bitches down the road.
Xcor is a seemingly hate-filled asshole hellbent on destruction, but he’s only become that way as life didn’t deal him a kind blow. There are daddy issues, body issues, and who knows what else gurgling under that surface. And in the space of a few pages, I somehow became downright obsessed with Throe, and need to hear his life story and struggle in a dedicated novel.
So yeah, I am here for the Band of Bastards.
I am also here for this damn baby daddy drama with Butch and Manny! We’ve barely heard from Butch since the conclusion of his novel, but I was forever curious about how his vampire heritage came to be. While Darius had a penchant for shacking up with human women, I’m assuming that this elusive father vampire is someone we haven’t yet met, but whom must be uber significant given Butch’s role in the Dhestroyer prophecy.
Overall: Without working through the minutiae of this novel and reviewing it in depth, I loved it. I’m glad that V and Jane managed to have a breakthrough and that his emotional issues weren't instantly fixed. I’m glad that Manny was re-introduced into the storyline, because we never see how the humans on the periphery of the vampire world get caught up as collateral damage. I’m glad that Payne managed to get her ass to this side and begin to work out who she is as a person. I’m glad that Wrath is being tested by the Band of Bastards and that we have some interesting mutineers shaking things up. I’m glad that Blay and Qhuinn are gearing up to eventually fucking get together already. And I’m glad that we’re learning a bit more about how Butch came to be part-vampire, even if I feel like it’ll take us 5 more books to get the answer.
Excuse me while I power through the next few books and roll around in a ball of my feels.
If you’re expecting a tale for the ages of how Payne finds her soulmate you’ll be sorely disappointed. While this book is technically Payne’s love story, it’s realistically Vishous 2.0. And I’m okay with that. Admittedly I am biased towards V - he’s hella sarcastic, great with computers, has a killer magical right hand, and a fucked up backstory that tugs at my heartstrings - but I also understand why the story had to go this way. Payne just isn’t interesting enough to carry a story on her own. Sure, she’s got enough parental issues to fill a bathtub - which is basically a requirement of this series - but she just doesn’t have the charisma or intrigue.
I know a lot of people are miffed that these books are focusing less on one Brother finding his forever love, and instead tracking the movements of several new and different minor characters. This was actually something that vaguely bugged me about previous novels - while the timelines all work spectacularly, I always found it odd that after several centuries walking this earth each Brother fell in love in 21st century Caldwell, one after the other. It makes more sense for Ward to weave together storylines and focus on outlying characters, now that our core team have all shacked up.
So yeah, this book is a mix of V and Jane working through their complex emotional issues; Payne and Manny getting together; Payne working through some of her family issues with V and the Scribe Virgin; and the introduction of the Band of Bastards. And I am here for the Band of Bastards.
With the death of Lash, I was worried how Ward was going to continue pushing the Lessers as the number 1 villain in this series. They’re strong but the Brotherhood is stronger, and while the Brotherhood will occasionally make in-roads, they’re not strategic enough to really blow a hole in the Lesser ranks. And if the audience is tiring from your external threat, why not create an internal one?
Another reason why I grew tired of the Lessers was that they’re so one-dimensional. They’re all fuckheads who want to destroy the vampire race, for no reason other than Daddy Omega wants them to. Even traitorous Lash wasn’t that interesting once you got over the initial reveal and shock of the raids. That’s why the Band of Bastards are so fantastic: they’re all rough bastards who you don’t actually want to take leadership, but they’re much more complex and interesting than the baby powder bitches down the road.
Xcor is a seemingly hate-filled asshole hellbent on destruction, but he’s only become that way as life didn’t deal him a kind blow. There are daddy issues, body issues, and who knows what else gurgling under that surface. And in the space of a few pages, I somehow became downright obsessed with Throe, and need to hear his life story and struggle in a dedicated novel.
So yeah, I am here for the Band of Bastards.
I am also here for this damn baby daddy drama with Butch and Manny! We’ve barely heard from Butch since the conclusion of his novel, but I was forever curious about how his vampire heritage came to be. While Darius had a penchant for shacking up with human women, I’m assuming that this elusive father vampire is someone we haven’t yet met, but whom must be uber significant given Butch’s role in the Dhestroyer prophecy.
Overall: Without working through the minutiae of this novel and reviewing it in depth, I loved it. I’m glad that V and Jane managed to have a breakthrough and that his emotional issues weren't instantly fixed. I’m glad that Manny was re-introduced into the storyline, because we never see how the humans on the periphery of the vampire world get caught up as collateral damage. I’m glad that Payne managed to get her ass to this side and begin to work out who she is as a person. I’m glad that Wrath is being tested by the Band of Bastards and that we have some interesting mutineers shaking things up. I’m glad that Blay and Qhuinn are gearing up to eventually fucking get together already. And I’m glad that we’re learning a bit more about how Butch came to be part-vampire, even if I feel like it’ll take us 5 more books to get the answer.
Excuse me while I power through the next few books and roll around in a ball of my feels.
lisabeejenkins's review against another edition
3.0
Despite the trite "ZOMG, look who's related" twist, the typical biches about JR Ward's writing, and my patent refusal to accept a place like "Caldwell, NY" could be the epicenter of vampire/nefarious criminal goings-on: a pretty enjoyable read.
After all of this, and reading online about some plot pts left hanging, I realize the DelVecchio and de la Cruz story is...basically fodder for another series. Kinda lame.
Now that I am finally caught up int his series I guess I have to wait another...what, year?...to read on....
Spoiler
I loved the return to Vishous (my fave) and Jane. And Vishous and Butch (homocute!). I just didn't really feel V's angst the way I have in the past, and I felt like the Butch/V interactions were a bit of a tease. I mean, I guess they wouldn't get sexytimes with each other b/c of their shellans? Hm. I did like Jane a lot and felt for her rock-and-a-hard-place situation. But then, I heart Jane.After all of this, and reading online about some plot pts left hanging, I realize the DelVecchio and de la Cruz story is...basically fodder for another series. Kinda lame.
Now that I am finally caught up int his series I guess I have to wait another...what, year?...to read on....
melidz's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
arcanewolf's review against another edition
5.0
The 9th book in the Brotherhood series and the books just keep getting sexier and sexier.
This time, it was the turn of Vishious' twin sister, Payne who was introduced briefly way back in Vishious' book. Before the end of John's book, we see Payne and Wrath have their regular sparring match but this one ends up with an accident that leads Payne to having a bad spinal injury.
Jane, Vishious' shellen, looks for the help of Manny, who was again introduced in Vishious' book and we get to see how his life has moved on since the end of Vishious' book where Jane dies. We can see he's still very much affected by the news of Jane's death and becomes very much freaked out when she returns to ask him for help.
As soon as Manny sees Payne, he's instantly attracted to her just the same as all the other brothers when they first meet their mates. It sparks on an intense, sexual romance and Manny shows Payne what life can be like on the other side, since she's been cooped in the Sanctuary for too long.
There's a big plot twist at the end, where we discover that Manny is actually part vampire and half brother to Butch, also making him related to Wrath. This is, of course, great news for Payne as their relationship was reaching a few complications due to Manny being a human.
All in all, a real intense, sexual book and I've always wondered what was the story of Payne, we knew about Vishious but what became of his twin sister.
Next, we move onto Tohrment!
This time, it was the turn of Vishious' twin sister, Payne who was introduced briefly way back in Vishious' book. Before the end of John's book, we see Payne and Wrath have their regular sparring match but this one ends up with an accident that leads Payne to having a bad spinal injury.
Jane, Vishious' shellen, looks for the help of Manny, who was again introduced in Vishious' book and we get to see how his life has moved on since the end of Vishious' book where Jane dies. We can see he's still very much affected by the news of Jane's death and becomes very much freaked out when she returns to ask him for help.
As soon as Manny sees Payne, he's instantly attracted to her just the same as all the other brothers when they first meet their mates. It sparks on an intense, sexual romance and Manny shows Payne what life can be like on the other side, since she's been cooped in the Sanctuary for too long.
There's a big plot twist at the end, where we discover that Manny is actually part vampire and half brother to Butch, also making him related to Wrath. This is, of course, great news for Payne as their relationship was reaching a few complications due to Manny being a human.
All in all, a real intense, sexual book and I've always wondered what was the story of Payne, we knew about Vishious but what became of his twin sister.
Next, we move onto Tohrment!
lisa_me's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this better than I expected, probably because it was as much as story about Vishous and Jane as it was about Manny and Payne. In fact, I really didn't have as much invested in Manny and Payne's story as I did V and Jane's. That's the one that actually brought tears to my eyes.
This book is notable for the introduction of Xcor and his band of bastards.
I skimmed over the mostly irrelevant story of the human murders. Except for, I understand from other reviews that it's there as a cross-over with [b:Envy|9542259|Envy (The Fallen Angels, #3)|J.R. Ward|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1301917681s/9542259.jpg|14428619]. Naughty, naughty J.R. Ward. Isn't there enough overwriting in your books as it is?
This book is notable for the introduction of Xcor and his band of bastards.
I skimmed over the mostly irrelevant story of the human murders. Except for
Spoiler
the tie-in with Throehixxup79's review against another edition
5.0
Awesome book, so many things happening in this book it was amazing to keep up between the growing love of Payne & Manny, V & Jane and his issues that I'm glad he gotten over. But then bringing in new people such as xcor, vek, & David Craner (who I'm quite intrigued about to be honest). Oh then the forming of the love triangle between Blay & Qhuin & Saxton, but now the triangle forming between Qhuinn, Blay, & Layla so now I am sitting here torn between Qhuinn getting with Blay and Now Qhuinn getting with Layla, because let's face it Layla deserves a break this poor girl keeps getting passed over and passed over and all she does it give, and you can tell from herr description that she is beautiful, sweet, and deserving to finding someone, and yes I kinda hope it's Qhuinn. And then Xcor coming along to take Wrath's kingship OMG epic upcoming battle I foresee and lot's and lot's and lot's of more drama. And Vek what is his deal???????? and will Det. Jose ever get it figured out and become a part of the brotherhood world in a way or will he always be on the outskirts....and I must say I'm glad that this story didn't have the scribe virgin in it...it's nice to get a brreak from her too....AWESOME book can't wait for the next one.
lynseyisreading's review against another edition
3.0
I am not really feeling this book, true?
This is my least favourite of the BDB books so far I'm afraid. It had too many subplots, not enough time devoted to our main couple Manny and Payne, and it lacked the lighter moments that Ward usually provides in her otherwise dark world.
As a paranormal romance, I'm expecting a certain amount of time devoted to our star couple. All the former books have been clearly "Wrath and Beth's story", or "Zsadist and Bella's Story" (my two favourites incidentally), with a side story usually featuring the head of the Lessening society. But this one was more like "Manny, Payne, Jane, Vishous, Butch, Quinn, Xcor, Throe, Jose and Veck's story"... It was just too much! I feel like this was a "setting up" book, and we're being prepared for the next big storyline to come. Which is fine, I guess. But it didn't make me enjoy the book any more.
So much of what we are used to was missing, too. Where were the Omega and the Scribe Virgin? Where was the leader of the Lessers? And I didn't even get a song from Zsadist!...tsk tsk
There were a few bits I did enjoy, however. I did like the Manny and Payne bits; she certainly deserves her freedom after centuries spent with Mother dearest, so it was nice to see her discovering the world and falling for handy Manny. And although I don't like all the BDSM stuff associated with V, I was glad he was able to get over what happened to him a bit more, with the help of his boy, Butch.
So all in all, it could have been much better for me. I will still be reading the next one, of course. Everyone is allowed a bump in the road, and I think this is Ward's.
This is my least favourite of the BDB books so far I'm afraid. It had too many subplots, not enough time devoted to our main couple Manny and Payne, and it lacked the lighter moments that Ward usually provides in her otherwise dark world.
As a paranormal romance, I'm expecting a certain amount of time devoted to our star couple. All the former books have been clearly "Wrath and Beth's story", or "Zsadist and Bella's Story" (my two favourites incidentally), with a side story usually featuring the head of the Lessening society. But this one was more like "Manny, Payne, Jane, Vishous, Butch, Quinn, Xcor, Throe, Jose and Veck's story"... It was just too much! I feel like this was a "setting up" book, and we're being prepared for the next big storyline to come. Which is fine, I guess. But it didn't make me enjoy the book any more.
So much of what we are used to was missing, too. Where were the Omega and the Scribe Virgin? Where was the leader of the Lessers? And I didn't even get a song from Zsadist!...tsk tsk
There were a few bits I did enjoy, however. I did like the Manny and Payne bits; she certainly deserves her freedom after centuries spent with Mother dearest, so it was nice to see her discovering the world and falling for handy Manny. And although I don't like all the BDSM stuff associated with V, I was glad he was able to get over what happened to him a bit more, with the help of his boy, Butch.
So all in all, it could have been much better for me. I will still be reading the next one, of course. Everyone is allowed a bump in the road, and I think this is Ward's.
khunter76's review against another edition
5.0
I really got caught up into this serie and I have really enjoyed it. Can't wait for the next volume to come out.