Scan barcode
bonniecanread's review against another edition
3.0
Well...
The series is starting to become like the Anita Blake series. The first few were awesome but now it's all over the place.
The series is starting to become like the Anita Blake series. The first few were awesome but now it's all over the place.
idratherbereading542's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
- Main Couple: Craeg(vampire)/Paradise(vampire)
- Side Couple: Butch/Marissa
- POVs Included: Craeg/Paradise, Butch/Marissa, Abalone, Peyton
- Book Playlist (Black Dagger Brotherhood Series Playlist)
This was cute! I enjoyed it for the most part. I liked Craeg and Paradise, they were really sweet together.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect from these books. I knew they were going to focus on couples within the Brotherhood’s latest training program while also having a side story about one of the original couples. Fun stuff!
It turned out to be a cute book. A lot less of the bigger drama and war stuff going on. There’s a bit of a murder mystery type of thing, but everything in general has more of an “everyday” type of quality to it. Like less serious and less dire type of drama. More light as opposed to the main series, I suppose. I actually enjoyed this. It was a nice change of pace.
The only part of the book that I felt was lacking was the end. It just felt a little lackluster. Since the drama was so mellow between Craeg and Paradise, their relationship issues ironed out rather quickly and it felt a little too…easy. At least compared to the type of major hurdles you find between the couples in the main series. It was a sweet romance though, just a little vanilla I guess.
I gotta say Ward did a fairly decent job writing Paradise though. She has a good balance between strength and knowing her own limits. I liked her. Ward herself has said she doesn’t write females very well and I have to agree that’s her weak point. She writes great males, but her females typically leave a lot to be desired (with a few exceptions — Bella, Ehlana). But I liked how she wrote Paradise.
The side story was about Butch/Marissa (blah). One of my least favorite couples from the series. I’ve never liked Marissa and didn’t particularly like this part of the story. I just…don’t like her. She just comes across as so snooty and condescending. I also am from the camp that believes Butch and V should’ve ended up together. The obvious and blatant attraction between them was built up so much and it made no sense that it went nowhere with them. It’s still there too to some degree; they are still always flirting with one another! Ahh What a tease…
As a side note the lovely and amaaaaazzzzing (his words) Lassiter makes a lot of appearances in this book and that was just tops. Loved seeing him! Love him!
Overall it was a cute, lighter, book from the BDB world. We get to see some of our favorite Brothers, along with some great new characters. Good stuff!
- Main Couple: Craeg(vampire)/Paradise(vampire)
- Side Couple: Butch/Marissa
- POVs Included: Craeg/Paradise, Butch/Marissa, Abalone, Peyton
- Book Playlist (Black Dagger Brotherhood Series Playlist)
This was cute! I enjoyed it for the most part. I liked Craeg and Paradise, they were really sweet together.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect from these books. I knew they were going to focus on couples within the Brotherhood’s latest training program while also having a side story about one of the original couples. Fun stuff!
It turned out to be a cute book. A lot less of the bigger drama and war stuff going on. There’s a bit of a murder mystery type of thing, but everything in general has more of an “everyday” type of quality to it. Like less serious and less dire type of drama. More light as opposed to the main series, I suppose. I actually enjoyed this. It was a nice change of pace.
The only part of the book that I felt was lacking was the end. It just felt a little lackluster. Since the drama was so mellow between Craeg and Paradise, their relationship issues ironed out rather quickly and it felt a little too…easy. At least compared to the type of major hurdles you find between the couples in the main series. It was a sweet romance though, just a little vanilla I guess.
I gotta say Ward did a fairly decent job writing Paradise though. She has a good balance between strength and knowing her own limits. I liked her. Ward herself has said she doesn’t write females very well and I have to agree that’s her weak point. She writes great males, but her females typically leave a lot to be desired (with a few exceptions — Bella, Ehlana). But I liked how she wrote Paradise.
The side story was about Butch/Marissa (blah). One of my least favorite couples from the series. I’ve never liked Marissa and didn’t particularly like this part of the story. I just…don’t like her. She just comes across as so snooty and condescending. I also am from the camp that believes Butch and V should’ve ended up together. The obvious and blatant attraction between them was built up so much and it made no sense that it went nowhere with them. It’s still there too to some degree; they are still always flirting with one another! Ahh What a tease…
As a side note the lovely and amaaaaazzzzing (his words) Lassiter makes a lot of appearances in this book and that was just tops. Loved seeing him! Love him!
Overall it was a cute, lighter, book from the BDB world. We get to see some of our favorite Brothers, along with some great new characters. Good stuff!
ryatwilight's review against another edition
3.0
2.5⭐️. Unfortunately, this one didn’t do much for me. The relationship between Paradise and Craeg felt way too easy. The immediate pining and how desperate they both were right from the start was a total turn off for me. And I found myself not really caring about Butch and Marissa’s drama either. The one interesting part in the book with the dead girl felt like it was just kind of just glossed over. I would have liked there to have been more ink dedicated to that part of the story.
The one thing I did love in this book was this quote:
“If anything gets in the way of our relationship, anything, I will mow that shit down—even if it is you.”
The one thing I did love in this book was this quote:
“If anything gets in the way of our relationship, anything, I will mow that shit down—even if it is you.”
ihateprozac's review against another edition
4.0
I was worried that this would be 85% boring training montages with 15% cameos from Butch and Vishous. Turns out it’s 50% Brotherhood drama and 50% Trainee drama and I loved it!
I enjoyed Paradise and Craeg as leads. Paradise is a tenacious and strong woman who doesn’t take shit from anyone, defying her upbringing as a delicate glymera flower. Craeg is a working class underdog with no family, no money, and a dominating vibe. Naturally, their scenes together are helllllllllla steamy. Sure, I don’t have an emotional connection to them like with Vishous, Zsadist, and Assail, but they made for a steamy romance.
What I found truly compelling about this story was the interpersonal drama between Butch and Marissa. These books always portray an intense bonding experience between the leads, and it’s fair to assume that everything is peachy and great sex from then on out. But through Butch and Marissa we see that vampire relationships still take work, and that even the tightest shellan/hellren can fall out of love without communication and compromise.
We also get some great Butch/V interactions and it’s safe to say that I still stan the fuck out of this friendship! And I really liked the new recruits, becoming instant trash for our bisexual icons (bicons) Axe and Novo. I NEED MORE.
There’s a strong thread of crime and mystery running through this novel, and though I guessed the killer before the end it was nonetheless interesting to watch it play out! Said mystery laid the groundwork for future novels, highlighting the need for vampire police/forensics in Caldwell, and it’s easy to see how some of these characters may go on to fill those roles.
This was really steamy, fun, and put some further flesh on vampire society that I wasn’t expecting. I didn’t think I’d like these recruits and their stories, but I was pleasantly surprised! It may not be required reading for the main series, but I think anybody who doesn’t pick it up is seriously missing out.
I enjoyed Paradise and Craeg as leads. Paradise is a tenacious and strong woman who doesn’t take shit from anyone, defying her upbringing as a delicate glymera flower. Craeg is a working class underdog with no family, no money, and a dominating vibe. Naturally, their scenes together are helllllllllla steamy. Sure, I don’t have an emotional connection to them like with Vishous, Zsadist, and Assail, but they made for a steamy romance.
What I found truly compelling about this story was the interpersonal drama between Butch and Marissa. These books always portray an intense bonding experience between the leads, and it’s fair to assume that everything is peachy and great sex from then on out. But through Butch and Marissa we see that vampire relationships still take work, and that even the tightest shellan/hellren can fall out of love without communication and compromise.
We also get some great Butch/V interactions and it’s safe to say that I still stan the fuck out of this friendship! And I really liked the new recruits, becoming instant trash for our bisexual icons (bicons) Axe and Novo. I NEED MORE.
There’s a strong thread of crime and mystery running through this novel, and though I guessed the killer before the end it was nonetheless interesting to watch it play out! Said mystery laid the groundwork for future novels, highlighting the need for vampire police/forensics in Caldwell, and it’s easy to see how some of these characters may go on to fill those roles.
This was really steamy, fun, and put some further flesh on vampire society that I wasn’t expecting. I didn’t think I’d like these recruits and their stories, but I was pleasantly surprised! It may not be required reading for the main series, but I think anybody who doesn’t pick it up is seriously missing out.
nerdalert219's review against another edition
1.0
I was very disappointed in this book. I’m a huge Black Dagger Brotherhood fan – it’s my guilty pleasure series!
That being said, I was expecting more from this book. Anyone who has read more than 1 BDB book, knows there’s a formula. I was really hoping Ward would branch out with her writing on this spin off series. I was sadly mistaken. It’s the same formula just different names. I couldn’t connect to the characters at all. And honestly, the only reason I finished the book was because it includes Butch and Marissa. If it didn’t have a storyline connected to the Brothers, I would have put it down.
Unfortunately, it seems like this whole new series will be intertwined with the original BDB series and that just pisses me off because I don’t want to miss anything with the Brothers and I feel forced to read through the dribble to get to the parts of the book I actually want to read.
That being said, I was expecting more from this book. Anyone who has read more than 1 BDB book, knows there’s a formula. I was really hoping Ward would branch out with her writing on this spin off series. I was sadly mistaken. It’s the same formula just different names. I couldn’t connect to the characters at all. And honestly, the only reason I finished the book was because it includes Butch and Marissa. If it didn’t have a storyline connected to the Brothers, I would have put it down.
Unfortunately, it seems like this whole new series will be intertwined with the original BDB series and that just pisses me off because I don’t want to miss anything with the Brothers and I feel forced to read through the dribble to get to the parts of the book I actually want to read.
arcanewolf's review against another edition
3.0
I was a bit weary about reading this book. I am a big fan of J R Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series, but the later books I felt weren't as gripping as some of the her earlier books. I started to feel that there were too many characters to keep up with and too many plotlines. But this book went back to her earlier style of books and I enjoyed it immensely!
It's a spin off series focusing and a group of trainees under the lead of Butch. It didn't go too much into the plot of the BlackDagger series, as it is a spin-off, but there were a couple of mentions here and there. The love story between Paradise and Craeg was passionate, hot and wild. We also got to see more of Butch and Marissa too.
I'm hoping the rest in the Legacy series stays with this style, and I hope she goes back to this type with her main series. I loved the King, because that went back too as it focused on Wrath and I cannot wait for The Beast and I hope it doesn't disappoint.
Keep this style Warden.
It's a spin off series focusing and a group of trainees under the lead of Butch. It didn't go too much into the plot of the BlackDagger series, as it is a spin-off, but there were a couple of mentions here and there. The love story between Paradise and Craeg was passionate, hot and wild. We also got to see more of Butch and Marissa too.
I'm hoping the rest in the Legacy series stays with this style, and I hope she goes back to this type with her main series. I loved the King, because that went back too as it focused on Wrath and I cannot wait for The Beast and I hope it doesn't disappoint.
Keep this style Warden.
apminaker's review against another edition
5.0
The next gen
I have been a fan for quite a while and I absolutely love the Brotherhood. The originals were amazing and the new generation... Already love them! Can't wait for the next book!
I have been a fan for quite a while and I absolutely love the Brotherhood. The originals were amazing and the new generation... Already love them! Can't wait for the next book!
lisa_me's review against another edition
3.0
3.5*s
I had such high hopes for this book. JR Ward seemed to put a lot of thought and effort into the beginning of the book, but it was all downhill from there. The rest of it seemed rushed and not well thought out.
Paradise was dumb as a stump. Craeg might have been a natural leader, but we only saw it in the beginning. After that, it was all about falling into lust with Paradise, and Paradise falling into lust with him. I don't know where the love supposedly developed.
The whodunnit of the murder mystery was pretty obvious after the second clue. But Paradise didn't catch on, and was almost TSTL. Literally.
What a disappointment.
I had such high hopes for this book. JR Ward seemed to put a lot of thought and effort into the beginning of the book, but it was all downhill from there. The rest of it seemed rushed and not well thought out.
Paradise was dumb as a stump. Craeg might have been a natural leader, but we only saw it in the beginning. After that, it was all about falling into lust with Paradise, and Paradise falling into lust with him. I don't know where the love supposedly developed.
The whodunnit of the murder mystery was pretty obvious after the second clue. But Paradise didn't catch on, and was almost TSTL. Literally.
What a disappointment.