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klmessie's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
mvbookreviewer's review against another edition
4.0
"You are the male I want to mate with. That's who you are.”
Lover Revealed is the fourth book in the mind blowing Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J. R. Ward. It tells the story of Butch O'Neal, who is drawn into the realms of the lives of the Brotherhood during the first book of the series. Butch who had been a homicide detective had gotten fired for police brutality and since then become part of the Brotherhood's fight against the Lessening Society that lives to kill vampires. Butch also has a crush of the size of Mount Everest on Marissa; stating his feelings towards Marissa, a daughter of the aristocratic lineage is putting it mildly. However, having got the impression that Marissa really does not want much to do with him has made Butch decide to make peace with it, which does not mean that he still does not want her in a big way.
When Butch's life is changed in a way he never thought possible, well, no one thought possible, Butch becomes a weapon against the fight being waged between Lessers and the vampires. While Marissa finds herself chafing more and more at the restrictions that are imposed on her as an unmated vampire of the purest of blood, everything comes to a breaking point eventually which finds Marissa going towards the one man who has always made her feel more than living life in the status of a porcelain doll to be coveted and never touched. In Butch's arms, Marissa finds herself experiencing what never thought possible, but on her terms.
Which brings me to why I was not so enamored by either Butch of Marissa in the story. I found Marissa to be a bit too unsure of her needs and wants when it comes to Butch. I understood the baggage that she carries with her, having being considered sort of an outcast by her own brethren, not to mention her asshat of a brother who made her believe herself to be less of a woman all because. Wrath was also partly to blame in my opinion, but of course Beth and the way she treated the whole thing later on went a long way towards making things better. However, that did not redeem Wrath's role in it to my satisfaction.
I liked Butch. I wanted to love him. Perhaps a small corner of my heart does. But the way Butch tried to change and conform into something or rather everything that Marissa wanted from him was a bit hard to take in. Yes, I know that Butch having the vampire blood coursing through him makes it so, makes him react so. But the way he wanted to put his very life on the line for a woman who oscillates between wanting to be with him to being unsure of it in the next second was just irksome.
Butch's conformation in the bedroom was also partly the problem. A robust man with heady sexual appetites having to handle Marissa with kid gloves because she's the beautiful, perfect and serene aristocrat was a bit too much. I understood that Marissa comes from a line of people where no one talks about the wilder side of sex etc. but the whole thing just irked me in a way. There is also the way Marissa let Butch be hurt into thinking that he was defective in some way as to not being able to give her pleasure, even when he had shown her otherwise in previous encounters was something that did not win any points in her favor.
That brings me to my reaction to the series thus far. By the fourth book in the series one would think that the King having ascended to the throne would have at least started on some programs to bring together his race and actually work towards making a difference in steering their kind to lives better lived. Lives that would reverse the dwindling numbers and give them a fighting chance with the lessers. I know that this story takes place just six months down the line, but I would have thought that at least some plans would have materialized somewhere along the way towards it. Apart from fire fighting in the sense in their war against the lessers, that also with no concrete plan to change their modus operandi apart from going out every night to hunt and kill, there seems to be a lack of coordinated effort in the Brotherhood which does not seem to bode well for the future.
All through the book, my fascination was focused on Rehvenge as a character. Now there is a vampire whose story I want to climb into.
Though with everything that did not work for me in the story, it is still a crucial addition to the series that adds value to the novels that are yet to come.
Rating = 4/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit, www.maldivianbookreviewer.com
Lover Revealed is the fourth book in the mind blowing Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J. R. Ward. It tells the story of Butch O'Neal, who is drawn into the realms of the lives of the Brotherhood during the first book of the series. Butch who had been a homicide detective had gotten fired for police brutality and since then become part of the Brotherhood's fight against the Lessening Society that lives to kill vampires. Butch also has a crush of the size of Mount Everest on Marissa; stating his feelings towards Marissa, a daughter of the aristocratic lineage is putting it mildly. However, having got the impression that Marissa really does not want much to do with him has made Butch decide to make peace with it, which does not mean that he still does not want her in a big way.
When Butch's life is changed in a way he never thought possible, well, no one thought possible, Butch becomes a weapon against the fight being waged between Lessers and the vampires. While Marissa finds herself chafing more and more at the restrictions that are imposed on her as an unmated vampire of the purest of blood, everything comes to a breaking point eventually which finds Marissa going towards the one man who has always made her feel more than living life in the status of a porcelain doll to be coveted and never touched. In Butch's arms, Marissa finds herself experiencing what never thought possible, but on her terms.
Which brings me to why I was not so enamored by either Butch of Marissa in the story. I found Marissa to be a bit too unsure of her needs and wants when it comes to Butch. I understood the baggage that she carries with her, having being considered sort of an outcast by her own brethren, not to mention her asshat of a brother who made her believe herself to be less of a woman all because. Wrath was also partly to blame in my opinion, but of course Beth and the way she treated the whole thing later on went a long way towards making things better. However, that did not redeem Wrath's role in it to my satisfaction.
I liked Butch. I wanted to love him. Perhaps a small corner of my heart does. But the way Butch tried to change and conform into something or rather everything that Marissa wanted from him was a bit hard to take in. Yes, I know that Butch having the vampire blood coursing through him makes it so, makes him react so. But the way he wanted to put his very life on the line for a woman who oscillates between wanting to be with him to being unsure of it in the next second was just irksome.
Butch's conformation in the bedroom was also partly the problem. A robust man with heady sexual appetites having to handle Marissa with kid gloves because she's the beautiful, perfect and serene aristocrat was a bit too much. I understood that Marissa comes from a line of people where no one talks about the wilder side of sex etc. but the whole thing just irked me in a way. There is also the way Marissa let Butch be hurt into thinking that he was defective in some way as to not being able to give her pleasure, even when he had shown her otherwise in previous encounters was something that did not win any points in her favor.
That brings me to my reaction to the series thus far. By the fourth book in the series one would think that the King having ascended to the throne would have at least started on some programs to bring together his race and actually work towards making a difference in steering their kind to lives better lived. Lives that would reverse the dwindling numbers and give them a fighting chance with the lessers. I know that this story takes place just six months down the line, but I would have thought that at least some plans would have materialized somewhere along the way towards it. Apart from fire fighting in the sense in their war against the lessers, that also with no concrete plan to change their modus operandi apart from going out every night to hunt and kill, there seems to be a lack of coordinated effort in the Brotherhood which does not seem to bode well for the future.
All through the book, my fascination was focused on Rehvenge as a character. Now there is a vampire whose story I want to climb into.
Though with everything that did not work for me in the story, it is still a crucial addition to the series that adds value to the novels that are yet to come.
Rating = 4/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit, www.maldivianbookreviewer.com
angelinediane05's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
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
2.75
bookishwonderlandco's review against another edition
4.0
This book was soo good! I wasn't really excited to read this, but I quickly changed my mind! I loved the new twists and even if Butch wasn't my favorite before, I absolutely love him now! Marissa really bothered me in the other books, and this book changed that, even though at some parts of this book she reminded me why I didn't really like her to begin with, but in the end I ended up loving her too! This book really had some surprises for me and I loved it! This series is definitely one of my favorites, and one I will never forget! They always leave me hanging and desperate to read the next!
crystaldg7's review against another edition
3.0
I think Ward’s favorite word is totally. It is overused way to much in this series so far.
I wasn’t interested in Butch’s story and this book is all about him. So thus the 3 star rating.
I wasn’t interested in Butch’s story and this book is all about him. So thus the 3 star rating.
minxnel's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
mystery_jem's review against another edition
2.0
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...
one of my least favorites
one of my least favorites
misnyder's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
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
4.0
blessedwannab's review against another edition
5.0
*3rd reread 2/27/12*
Butch is the brother that sneaks up on you. You don't realize how much you're going to love him until you read his book. Then you're a goner.
*2nd Read 2/24/11*
I just reread this for the second time and upped it to five stars.
I feel like Ward has done such an amazing job of making these brothers so unique and special. The way V says 'true' and Butch calls Marissa 'baby'. They all have their own characteristics and that's why they feel so real when you read them.
The second time reading I still cried when Butch told Marissa what happened with his family. It was such an emotionally charged scene.
I just love Butch, whether it's an emotional scene with V or Marissa he's just such a realistic character. From his chipped tooth to his gravely voice everything about him just feels so honest.
*1st Read 12/1/10*
This one was good. It wasn't Zsadist good, it wasn't even Rhage good, but it was up there.
I liked Butch and he even made my eyes water once. Marissa is okay, it was nice seeing her get strong. The biggest draw for in this book was the insight we got into Viscious, and into Butch and V's friendship. He made my stomach flip over and my heart pound. He also made my heart break a little bit as you near the end. It made me eager to read Lover Unbound, which I started last night.
Butch is the brother that sneaks up on you. You don't realize how much you're going to love him until you read his book. Then you're a goner.
*2nd Read 2/24/11*
I just reread this for the second time and upped it to five stars.
I feel like Ward has done such an amazing job of making these brothers so unique and special. The way V says 'true' and Butch calls Marissa 'baby'. They all have their own characteristics and that's why they feel so real when you read them.
The second time reading I still cried when Butch told Marissa what happened with his family. It was such an emotionally charged scene.
I just love Butch, whether it's an emotional scene with V or Marissa he's just such a realistic character. From his chipped tooth to his gravely voice everything about him just feels so honest.
*1st Read 12/1/10*
This one was good. It wasn't Zsadist good, it wasn't even Rhage good, but it was up there.
I liked Butch and he even made my eyes water once. Marissa is okay, it was nice seeing her get strong. The biggest draw for in this book was the insight we got into Viscious, and into Butch and V's friendship. He made my stomach flip over and my heart pound. He also made my heart break a little bit as you near the end. It made me eager to read Lover Unbound, which I started last night.
Finished first time on 12/1/2010
bpina92's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5