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bonniecanread's review against another edition
2.0
Did not finish
Same old story bad guy going badder finds love blah blah blah wants better future kids all that jazz. Boring done with the series
Same old story bad guy going badder finds love blah blah blah wants better future kids all that jazz. Boring done with the series
idratherbereading542's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars
- Main Couple: Trez(vampire/shadow)/Selena(vampire then dead)
- Side Couple: iAm(vampire/shadow)/Maichen(Catra)(vampire/shadow)
- POVs Included: Trez/Selena, iAm/Maichen(Catra), Rhage, s’Ex, Luchas (Quinn’s brother), Xcor/Layla, Paradise (Abalone’s daughter), Mr. C (forelesser), Abalone, Assail, Throe
- Book Playlist (Black Dagger Brotherhood Series Playlist)
!!! SERIES SPOILER WARNING !!!
This review contains spoilers not only for this book, but for future books in the series too…so proceed at your own risk!!
…..
…..
…..
So I just finished this one and you know what my first thought was? Finally, it’s over! This was a hard one for me to get through. It had its moments, but it was honestly probably my least favorite book in the entire series so far. Although Phury’s is probably close behind.
Okay so let’s first start off with the main couple, Trez and Selena. Truthishly? I didn’t feel very much chemistry between them. It’s like, I never really felt it between them all that much during their snippets in the previous books but I thought their connection might be stronger in their official book. But I just never really felt it. It seemed so forced and unnatural between them.
Then there’s there’s the fact that after all their relationship building in the book Selena proceeds to……die. Yes, she’s dead…
This is such a strange book. It goes against every typical paranormal romance novel rule. Of course, there are tragic romance novels. But usually those are standalone books and more about some philosophical view of love. But when it comes to a typical paranormal romance novel it’s pretty much understood that the heroine and hero will, you know, be alive at the end of be book and be together. Yeah. That’s not what happens here. Because Selena dies. No miracle from the Scribe Virgin. No super duper ghost that can still come and go as she pleases. Nothing. She’s dead. What was the point of this? It’s just so weird to me for this series. It doesn’t fit. The pattern is a HEA or at least a HFN by the end of each book. Those of us who read this genre find a certain level of comfort in this pattern because it’s something we can expect. It’s our safe place. If I’m in the mood to read a tragic romance I can venture outside of the paranormal romance genre which is 99.9% safe from this…
I have read some reviews ahead and some say Selena “comes back” later. Not sure how at this point, but even if that’s the case, it’s weird (for this genre) that if that’s the case, Ward didn’t make it happen in this book. Unless it was an after-the-fact sort of thing that she wrote in because of an angry fanbase.
I realize that Ward has stated she has “no choice” in what she writes and she has to go with what comes to her. But, well, I have to disagree. That’s just plain bullshit. I’m sorry, but of course she has a choice in what she writes. I get having inspiration and all, and letting the characters naturally develop and allowing the story to flow naturally…. but you’re the writer of the book. You write in a genre and within a series that comes with certain expectations. Going outside of these is super uncomfortable for your dedicated readers and you certainly could have written this a different way. I disagree that you have to write what first comes to you. You have a responsibility as a writer of a long standing series to stick with some certain rules in order for your readers to trust you. And I think it’s not right to step outside of these within this series. If you want to write tragic romance then by all means, write a book that doesn’t have anything to do with your others so people aren’t confused and disappointed.
Oh and as a side note, I thought it was really selfish of Selena to tell Trez she doesn’t want him to move on after she dies. What?!?!! I would NEVER wish this for someone I love. That’s not love if you want that for someone. If I were to die I absolutely would want my husband to move on, not suffer for the rest of his life! What the hell kind of person says this to someone they love?
Okay….I’m done ranting about that…
Before I get to the good stuff I want to mention one other thing that bugged me about this book…
I normally don’t mind the POV switches, but with this book I felt like we didn’t stick with a single POV for long enough to be satisfying. Like just when you’re getting used to their POV, it switches again too soon. Usually there is a longer stretch between POV switches and it didn’t work well in this book.
Also I felt like several of the POVs had storylines that weren’t wrapped up well enough. I know they will continue into the next book, but it felt like they were sloppily and abruptly ceased as opposed to wrapping up to a point…Xcor/Layla, Assail and the guns, Throe, the Forelesser. Everything was like pushed aside after the book reached a certain point. It felt kind of sloppy to me.
Oh and speaking of POVs…I wasn’t loving Rhage’s POV much in this book. I didn’t understand his pity party that much in the midst of all the genuine drama; and Mary proved to be an absent partner who is literally always leaving Rhage on his lonesome in leu of being at Safe House. Not loving that she can’t at least come home to sleep with her husband. Poor guy…
Now onto some of the good…
What was good about the book is getting some glimpses of my favorite characters. I enjoyed seeing everyone as usual. I didn’t think we got as much page time with everyone as I would’ve liked though. But there was some so it was okay.
Other things I DID like about the book:
- I find it so funny that whenever V is having a vision everyone is all like “la-la-la” don’t want to hear it. Haha This happened with Wrath in The King and then here in this book with Trez. But V just keeps talking anyways. Ignoring their pleading for him to stop talking. Lol Love it.
- Loved how bold Layla is getting with Xcor! They’re quickly becoming my second favorite couple in the series (with Z and Bella still in the lead)
- Gotta say, the lesser shootout chaos downtown was pretty exciting! Especially cause so many were there in different places (Trez/Selena/Fritz and Manny/Rhage and Xcor/BoBs). Fun scene! And Xcor getting run over by the Brother’s ambulance accidentally was pretty priceless. lol
- I like how things worked out for the s’Hisbe shadow people in the end. Rock on! Love how that wrapped up.
- I loved how iAm got to fall in love. But I felt bad that his story was kind of rushed along inside his brother’s book. Why didn’t they both get a separate book?
Overall this was my least favorite BDB book. I don’t think it’s that they are getting bad though, I think it’s just this one. I was never a huge fan of the Shadows storyline. I love the guys themselves, but their story wasn’t that intriguing to me. And this book didn’t really help.
Ultimately though, despite my rating for this book, opening up (nearly any) BDB book has become such a comforting experience to me. Of course, it’s always fun to dive into new and unfamiliar worlds. But having been apart of the BDB world for the past 12 years there’s also something extremely special about coming back to a familiar place with familiar characters, even when new characters are being introduced at the same time. The BDB world is rich and vivid and has become a sort of “book home” for me. So despite this book being a miss for me, I’m grateful that she’s still actively writing these books.
- Main Couple: Trez(vampire/shadow)/Selena(vampire then dead)
- Side Couple: iAm(vampire/shadow)/Maichen(Catra)(vampire/shadow)
- POVs Included: Trez/Selena, iAm/Maichen(Catra), Rhage, s’Ex, Luchas (Quinn’s brother), Xcor/Layla, Paradise (Abalone’s daughter), Mr. C (forelesser), Abalone, Assail, Throe
- Book Playlist (Black Dagger Brotherhood Series Playlist)
!!! SERIES SPOILER WARNING !!!
This review contains spoilers not only for this book, but for future books in the series too…so proceed at your own risk!!
…..
…..
…..
So I just finished this one and you know what my first thought was? Finally, it’s over! This was a hard one for me to get through. It had its moments, but it was honestly probably my least favorite book in the entire series so far. Although Phury’s is probably close behind.
Okay so let’s first start off with the main couple, Trez and Selena. Truthishly? I didn’t feel very much chemistry between them. It’s like, I never really felt it between them all that much during their snippets in the previous books but I thought their connection might be stronger in their official book. But I just never really felt it. It seemed so forced and unnatural between them.
Then there’s there’s the fact that after all their relationship building in the book Selena proceeds to……die. Yes, she’s dead…
This is such a strange book. It goes against every typical paranormal romance novel rule. Of course, there are tragic romance novels. But usually those are standalone books and more about some philosophical view of love. But when it comes to a typical paranormal romance novel it’s pretty much understood that the heroine and hero will, you know, be alive at the end of be book and be together. Yeah. That’s not what happens here. Because Selena dies. No miracle from the Scribe Virgin. No super duper ghost that can still come and go as she pleases. Nothing. She’s dead. What was the point of this? It’s just so weird to me for this series. It doesn’t fit. The pattern is a HEA or at least a HFN by the end of each book. Those of us who read this genre find a certain level of comfort in this pattern because it’s something we can expect. It’s our safe place. If I’m in the mood to read a tragic romance I can venture outside of the paranormal romance genre which is 99.9% safe from this…
I have read some reviews ahead and some say Selena “comes back” later. Not sure how at this point, but even if that’s the case, it’s weird (for this genre) that if that’s the case, Ward didn’t make it happen in this book. Unless it was an after-the-fact sort of thing that she wrote in because of an angry fanbase.
I realize that Ward has stated she has “no choice” in what she writes and she has to go with what comes to her. But, well, I have to disagree. That’s just plain bullshit. I’m sorry, but of course she has a choice in what she writes. I get having inspiration and all, and letting the characters naturally develop and allowing the story to flow naturally…. but you’re the writer of the book. You write in a genre and within a series that comes with certain expectations. Going outside of these is super uncomfortable for your dedicated readers and you certainly could have written this a different way. I disagree that you have to write what first comes to you. You have a responsibility as a writer of a long standing series to stick with some certain rules in order for your readers to trust you. And I think it’s not right to step outside of these within this series. If you want to write tragic romance then by all means, write a book that doesn’t have anything to do with your others so people aren’t confused and disappointed.
Oh and as a side note, I thought it was really selfish of Selena to tell Trez she doesn’t want him to move on after she dies. What?!?!! I would NEVER wish this for someone I love. That’s not love if you want that for someone. If I were to die I absolutely would want my husband to move on, not suffer for the rest of his life! What the hell kind of person says this to someone they love?
Okay….I’m done ranting about that…
Before I get to the good stuff I want to mention one other thing that bugged me about this book…
I normally don’t mind the POV switches, but with this book I felt like we didn’t stick with a single POV for long enough to be satisfying. Like just when you’re getting used to their POV, it switches again too soon. Usually there is a longer stretch between POV switches and it didn’t work well in this book.
Also I felt like several of the POVs had storylines that weren’t wrapped up well enough. I know they will continue into the next book, but it felt like they were sloppily and abruptly ceased as opposed to wrapping up to a point…Xcor/Layla, Assail and the guns, Throe, the Forelesser. Everything was like pushed aside after the book reached a certain point. It felt kind of sloppy to me.
Oh and speaking of POVs…I wasn’t loving Rhage’s POV much in this book. I didn’t understand his pity party that much in the midst of all the genuine drama; and Mary proved to be an absent partner who is literally always leaving Rhage on his lonesome in leu of being at Safe House. Not loving that she can’t at least come home to sleep with her husband. Poor guy…
Now onto some of the good…
What was good about the book is getting some glimpses of my favorite characters. I enjoyed seeing everyone as usual. I didn’t think we got as much page time with everyone as I would’ve liked though. But there was some so it was okay.
Other things I DID like about the book:
- I find it so funny that whenever V is having a vision everyone is all like “la-la-la” don’t want to hear it. Haha This happened with Wrath in The King and then here in this book with Trez. But V just keeps talking anyways. Ignoring their pleading for him to stop talking. Lol Love it.
- Loved how bold Layla is getting with Xcor! They’re quickly becoming my second favorite couple in the series (with Z and Bella still in the lead)
- Gotta say, the lesser shootout chaos downtown was pretty exciting! Especially cause so many were there in different places (Trez/Selena/Fritz and Manny/Rhage and Xcor/BoBs). Fun scene! And Xcor getting run over by the Brother’s ambulance accidentally was pretty priceless. lol
- I like how things worked out for the s’Hisbe shadow people in the end. Rock on! Love how that wrapped up.
- I loved how iAm got to fall in love. But I felt bad that his story was kind of rushed along inside his brother’s book. Why didn’t they both get a separate book?
Overall this was my least favorite BDB book. I don’t think it’s that they are getting bad though, I think it’s just this one. I was never a huge fan of the Shadows storyline. I love the guys themselves, but their story wasn’t that intriguing to me. And this book didn’t really help.
Ultimately though, despite my rating for this book, opening up (nearly any) BDB book has become such a comforting experience to me. Of course, it’s always fun to dive into new and unfamiliar worlds. But having been apart of the BDB world for the past 12 years there’s also something extremely special about coming back to a familiar place with familiar characters, even when new characters are being introduced at the same time. The BDB world is rich and vivid and has become a sort of “book home” for me. So despite this book being a miss for me, I’m grateful that she’s still actively writing these books.
ryatwilight's review against another edition
4.0
Most of this book was closer to 3⭐️ for me, but there was a part that made me cry and I really liked the ending so that brought it up to 4⭐️. Similar to other books in this series the love happened too instantly. There’s very little will they, won’t they. They pretty much just do.
I did really like the dates that Trez took Selena on, especially the amusement park one, and that Selena is a total adrenaline junkie.
The found family aspect was great and the fact that the Brotherhood was willing to go to war for Trez and Iam was really heartwarming.
“She wants a war? I’ll give her one—and I guarantee that a scorched-earth policy is going to look like a Sunday fucking dinner compared to what I’m prepared to do to her if she tries to take our boy.” - Wrath
And as I mentioned, I really liked the ending. I found it exciting and it wasn’t the typical happy ending most people probably would expect, which was refreshing.
I did really like the dates that Trez took Selena on, especially the amusement park one, and that Selena is a total adrenaline junkie.
The found family aspect was great and the fact that the Brotherhood was willing to go to war for Trez and Iam was really heartwarming.
“She wants a war? I’ll give her one—and I guarantee that a scorched-earth policy is going to look like a Sunday fucking dinner compared to what I’m prepared to do to her if she tries to take our boy.” - Wrath
And as I mentioned, I really liked the ending. I found it exciting and it wasn’t the typical happy ending most people probably would expect, which was refreshing.
thenovelcourt's review against another edition
5.0
Did I give another BDB book 5 stars? I would give them 6 if I could.
Was the return of Rhage narration one of my favourite things ever? Fuck yes.
Is this the first BDB book that I bawled like a baby while reading? Yup.
Am I suing J.R. Ward for irreparable emotional damage? On it.
I have no words. I don't know where to begin, where to continue, and where to end. The more I am immersed into this world the more I feel like I can't talk about it. Standing ovation to the author, who can make me love and hate this series at the same time with equal passion on both fronts.
Was the return of Rhage narration one of my favourite things ever? Fuck yes.
Is this the first BDB book that I bawled like a baby while reading? Yup.
Am I suing J.R. Ward for irreparable emotional damage? On it.
I have no words. I don't know where to begin, where to continue, and where to end. The more I am immersed into this world the more I feel like I can't talk about it. Standing ovation to the author, who can make me love and hate this series at the same time with equal passion on both fronts.
kai_leakes's review against another edition
3.0
When it came to two particular scenes towards the end, the writing was so vivid, haunting and emotional that I was a sloppy mess of tears (I haven't had that happen except one other time with an author). That was great writing and that part, along with the tie up scene at the end with the H.E.A was why I gave this book 3 stars. There was a lot of things that I skipped around in and problematic points other readers have already pointed out that keeps me from keeping this at a 5-star review.
I love the MOORS/Shadows, yes. But....I'll leave it at what others have said in respect to a fellow author.
I love the MOORS/Shadows, yes. But....I'll leave it at what others have said in respect to a fellow author.
sidekicka7x's review against another edition
5.0
J.R. Ward knocks me on my ass with her writing. This book is phenomenal.
ihateprozac's review against another edition
4.0
It’s been a few years since I picked up a Black Dagger Brotherhood book, and I still really enjoy them for what they are! They’re delightfully dark, steamy, trashy, and fun, and while they’re hilariously heteronormative I will always be here for these ridiculously masc leather vamps.
I’ve always loved that while each book focuses on a particular BDB member, there are so many subplots and character arcs we get to explore on the side. While this story focuses largely on Trez and his remaining time with Selena, we also get to see Paradise asserting her independence; Assail and his drug running operation; iAm gaining some autonomy and a love interest; Xcor and Layla’s forbidden meetings; Rhage’s anxiety and panic attacks, and more.
While I love Trez as a character, and all the tragic shit in his life, I admittedly didn’t feel much when it came to the romance. I didn’t feel their chemistry or their grief and I mostly just felt sad for iAm and all the shit he constantly has to deal with. Toward the second half I just skipped the sex scenes entirely because they were kinda boring.
However, while I didn’t care for the romance I loooooved getting to learn more about the s’Hisbe. We get to venture inside the Territory and hear more from s’Ex and a mysterious new character. I just love getting to see this world expand further and further with each book!
Ultimately the “meh” romance and some pacing issues in the second half took this from a 5 star down to 4 stars. While JR Ward didn’t take the convenient route that she has before (*cough* Rhage and Mary *cough*), the rapidity at which the conflict was resolved felt convenient and rushed. I wish she’d laid a bit more groundwork earlier on to justify the sudden revelation and resolution that we got.
But all in all, this was a solid instalment and I’m so glad to be back amongst these ridiculous leather bros!
I’ve always loved that while each book focuses on a particular BDB member, there are so many subplots and character arcs we get to explore on the side. While this story focuses largely on Trez and his remaining time with Selena, we also get to see Paradise asserting her independence; Assail and his drug running operation; iAm gaining some autonomy and a love interest; Xcor and Layla’s forbidden meetings; Rhage’s anxiety and panic attacks, and more.
While I love Trez as a character, and all the tragic shit in his life, I admittedly didn’t feel much when it came to the romance. I didn’t feel their chemistry or their grief and I mostly just felt sad for iAm and all the shit he constantly has to deal with. Toward the second half I just skipped the sex scenes entirely because they were kinda boring.
However, while I didn’t care for the romance I loooooved getting to learn more about the s’Hisbe. We get to venture inside the Territory and hear more from s’Ex and a mysterious new character. I just love getting to see this world expand further and further with each book!
Ultimately the “meh” romance and some pacing issues in the second half took this from a 5 star down to 4 stars. While JR Ward didn’t take the convenient route that she has before (*cough* Rhage and Mary *cough*), the rapidity at which the conflict was resolved felt convenient and rushed. I wish she’d laid a bit more groundwork earlier on to justify the sudden revelation and resolution that we got.
But all in all, this was a solid instalment and I’m so glad to be back amongst these ridiculous leather bros!
arcanewolf's review against another edition
3.0
*Spoilers*
I finally managed to plow through this after getting stuck in a reading slump.
I have to be honest, in my opinion, not the best in the series. I found it difficult to read as I found the pacing a bit slow. I felt Selena was a bit bland as a character, and often needed Trez to define who she was, though she did develop as a character through the book.
I was waiting for Ward to cheat the death, as she has done in the previous books, but I was actually quite shocked to find that she actually kept to Selena's illness and actually had her die. I was psyching myself up to read that the other members of the brotherhood had a found a cure for Selena and that she and Trez would live happily ever after.
Nope, completely wrong.
It definitely picked up near the end though.
I'm excited to see how the Legacy series will pan out, and I cannot wait to revisit Rhage in The Beast!
I finally managed to plow through this after getting stuck in a reading slump.
I have to be honest, in my opinion, not the best in the series. I found it difficult to read as I found the pacing a bit slow. I felt Selena was a bit bland as a character, and often needed Trez to define who she was, though she did develop as a character through the book.
I was waiting for Ward to cheat the death, as she has done in the previous books, but I was actually quite shocked to find that she actually kept to Selena's illness and actually had her die. I was psyching myself up to read that the other members of the brotherhood had a found a cure for Selena and that she and Trez would live happily ever after.
Nope, completely wrong.
It definitely picked up near the end though.
I'm excited to see how the Legacy series will pan out, and I cannot wait to revisit Rhage in The Beast!
samie_k3's review
4.0
Maybe it's because I've never felt much of a connection to Trez and iAm, but this book draaaaaaaaagged for me. And really, I like the parts that were through Rhage's PoV and, Paradise's and even Assail (whom I sincerely dislike) better than the main focus of the book... Though I didn't mind the iAm stuff... Maybe it's just Trez. I didn't connect with him until the last few chapters of the book. Oh well. It's finished, and I'll not let this one sour me for the next in the series. :)