allingoodtime's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
As much as I love this series, the books are long and do take me a bit longer to read because of the plethora of storylines happening in each one. Now that I’m finally on the audiobook train, I decided to give this one a go that way. If I could listen to these longer stories while getting my errands and things around the house done it wouldn’t take me as long, right? I just couldn’t. Maybe if I had been listening from book one, but I already have an idea in my head for each character and it just wasn’t working for me. Especially when it came to the dialogue since the Brotherhood tends to talk in a very particular way with tons of slang. Oh well, I tried.
That being said, once I got a chance to read this book I really enjoyed all of the stories. Before I get into the titled character’s storyline, I’m going to talk about some of the others. I had already been fully invested in Assail and Marisol from the last book. Their cat and mouse game intrigued me and the way their storyline ended in that book was shocking. Man, these two tore me apart in this book. The longing and yearning are so palpable. Assail’s desperation when he is searching for her and Marisol’s grit and determination when she is saving herself. Gah! I cannot wait for more from them because I know their story cannot be over yet.
I’m finding myself getting more invested in Trez’s story. I’m honestly unsure where it’s going and where I even want it to go, but I now find I’m sympathizing with the guy whereas before I was getting annoyed by him. I’d love to see his brother find his HEA, but I don’t think that can happen until things are settled with Trez. He hasn’t lived the best life, but I’m glad he’s being honest with Selena even when it pushes her away. And speaking of Selena, she’s another one who I’m super curious about. This story definitely got me more invested in some of these characters that were a lot more peripheral in the past.
Now let’s talk about the king. Wrath and Beth had huge growth in this book, especially Wrath. Their story was a bit of marriage in trouble. They both kept talking, but neither was being heard. For the longest time, they just could not see beyond their own wants and fears to truly appreciate the other’s hopes and fears. I don’t want to give too much away, but I’ll tell you that by the end there is joy in their lives and I’m glad the author had Beth open her eyes a bit as well as Wrath because, as much as I agreed with her about most of it, I still thought she was being obtuse at times. Wrath’s parent’s story is, in part, played out in this book. While Wrath looks at that time through the innocence of a child’s perception, the reader is shown what was really happening leading up to Wrath’s birth. Theirs was also a beautiful love story, but the ugliness of their reign they hid from their son (who was still quite young when they were murdered) ties into the current day. It is artfully done and I loved those bits.
There are always things in this series that make the books seem dated, mostly it has to do with celebrity names and popular brands. Poor Miley Cyrus was put through the wringer on this one and it bothered me. The author does seem to alter her writing as things progress in the real world, and this was published in 2014. I get it. And looking back I can remember how the world treated her when she was a very young woman and cringe. It’s funny to see other cultural references, such as V being convinced Steve Job’s legacy was the root of all evil in the world, and think of how prophetic these little snippets can be.
I’m very excited about the new direction things are going in the overall world of the Brotherhood. Which is good since there are still tons of books to go.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Pregnancy, and Misogyny
Moderate: Kidnapping and Torture
lindaunconventionalbookworms's review against another edition
4.0
Great installment in the BDB series, but there I wish the focus had been more firmly on Wrath and his friends / loved ones. I was curious about the other storylines, too, but having so much of that included in the King's book took away from the main point and made the book feel a little more like filler for me.
Full review to come soon.
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews
Full review to come soon.
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews
joshrrei's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
anotherhel's review against another edition
4.0
Much better than the lasts ones. Specially the last half of the book. I laughed and cried multiple times with this one. There were less plots views as well thank god. Solas and Assail plot was pointless though... Good sex scene here and there but overall i wish i had skipped them in this one and the last book as well. Beth, wrath, the brothers are the best. The shadows are good, iAm is bae and i want to read is point of view. Selena is bae as well, so strong, i admire her so much. Layla is dumb. Xcor too.
Happy to see this series finally get a good book. Hopefully the shadows one is good as well but then it's Layla story and I'm not very sure about that one.
Happy to see this series finally get a good book. Hopefully the shadows one is good as well but then it's Layla story and I'm not very sure about that one.
geo_ix's review against another edition
5.0
LONG LIVE THE KING!!!
Argh. I put of reading this as long as I could, which wasn't long at all, like two weeks, because I didn't want to have to wait knowing there's nothing for me to read until the next one.... But whatever. I'm still glad I read it. I'm glad things went back to Wrath and Beth because I really wanted her to go into her needing and do all that baby stuff. I mean I know we see it with z and bella and then Quinn and layla but wrath and Beth is where this all started, and if this had have been the end of the series, I would have been okay with it, ending where it started, with their love and devotion and now, spoiler alert, baby. Basically in this, wrath pulls his head out of his ass and realises he can't do anything about being blind, and that he's only kept it a secret because he's ashamed of it. Finally, after the council tries to kick him out, using his mate as an excuse, he sees the light. And god did that take a long time!
Seriously, every time his viewpoint was offered I wanted to slap him, from the moment he went fully blind. He's so confident in himself until that point.
Basically, he's against a baby because he doesn't want it to have his defect. Date intervenes after he gives up and tries for a baby with his mate. Her human side shows more in this book, as she falls pregnant before her needing - which I totally picked up on before her. Boom!
This book is filled with lots of laugh out loud one liners. As most of them are, but I think out of all the books so far, this got the most giggles out of me, and in turn, a lot of creepy stars and "what"s, followed by "what the fuck are you laughing at"s, as if my partner thought somehow, I was laughing at him. He really doesn't get it. I tried explaining, a books like a movie, and you sure as hell laugh at movies, so why wouldn't you laugh and cry at a book?!
I did get a little teary at the end, I'll admit to that, but this one ends so bloody sweet I embraced the tears, and it wasn't like it was full on barking sobs like some other books I've read. Just lovely shedding of tears. Bliss.
Argh. I put of reading this as long as I could, which wasn't long at all, like two weeks, because I didn't want to have to wait knowing there's nothing for me to read until the next one.... But whatever. I'm still glad I read it. I'm glad things went back to Wrath and Beth because I really wanted her to go into her needing and do all that baby stuff. I mean I know we see it with z and bella and then Quinn and layla but wrath and Beth is where this all started, and if this had have been the end of the series, I would have been okay with it, ending where it started, with their love and devotion and now, spoiler alert, baby. Basically in this, wrath pulls his head out of his ass and realises he can't do anything about being blind, and that he's only kept it a secret because he's ashamed of it. Finally, after the council tries to kick him out, using his mate as an excuse, he sees the light. And god did that take a long time!
Seriously, every time his viewpoint was offered I wanted to slap him, from the moment he went fully blind. He's so confident in himself until that point.
Basically, he's against a baby because he doesn't want it to have his defect. Date intervenes after he gives up and tries for a baby with his mate. Her human side shows more in this book, as she falls pregnant before her needing - which I totally picked up on before her. Boom!
This book is filled with lots of laugh out loud one liners. As most of them are, but I think out of all the books so far, this got the most giggles out of me, and in turn, a lot of creepy stars and "what"s, followed by "what the fuck are you laughing at"s, as if my partner thought somehow, I was laughing at him. He really doesn't get it. I tried explaining, a books like a movie, and you sure as hell laugh at movies, so why wouldn't you laugh and cry at a book?!
I did get a little teary at the end, I'll admit to that, but this one ends so bloody sweet I embraced the tears, and it wasn't like it was full on barking sobs like some other books I've read. Just lovely shedding of tears. Bliss.
reginarix's review against another edition
4.0
Che bel libro! Un piacere leggerlo! Personaggi amati e coinvolgenti, e oltre ai drammi stavolta ho trovato moltissima ironia, alcune scene sono state davvero divertenti!! E poi, dai, Xcor che fa shopping??!!! Fantastico!
petitsayumii's review against another edition
5.0
I finished this book way too fast ):
Alright, the overall, the book is pretty great, but sometimes I wish that J.R stopped giving POV to many characters. It's kind annoying, since you finish a chapter and from nowhere you see a completely different story at the same time. It feels like I'm reading one book of GoT @_@
I still don't understand Sola and Assail place in all of this. Ok, I know, Wrath was shot in his place and blablabla, but after that what? They're really relevant to the story? I hope that in the future they be, because they're kinda boring. I like Xcor and Layla more. I was pretty sad that Xcor got so little of the spotlight ): I hope that his book is the next one.
We got to know a little about IAm and Trez past. Trez and Selena are boring, maybe because they're aren't well developed yet, but IAm was one of the best secondary characters in this story, aside of Fritz.
And was pretty cool to know the past of the former king and queen. They deserve a short novella, so we can know more about their lives.
In the end, the book isn't the beeeeeeeeeeeeest of the series, but some of the moments on it were amazing, so I gave it a 5 stars, because I'm biased. Sue me.
Alright, the overall, the book is pretty great, but sometimes I wish that J.R stopped giving POV to many characters. It's kind annoying, since you finish a chapter and from nowhere you see a completely different story at the same time. It feels like I'm reading one book of GoT @_@
I still don't understand Sola and Assail place in all of this. Ok, I know, Wrath was shot in his place and blablabla, but after that what? They're really relevant to the story? I hope that in the future they be, because they're kinda boring. I like Xcor and Layla more. I was pretty sad that Xcor got so little of the spotlight ): I hope that his book is the next one.
We got to know a little about IAm and Trez past. Trez and Selena are boring, maybe because they're aren't well developed yet, but IAm was one of the best secondary characters in this story, aside of Fritz.
And was pretty cool to know the past of the former king and queen. They deserve a short novella, so we can know more about their lives.
Spoiler
I was the only one who felt that Beth's pregnancy seemed like a Twilight pregnancy? One day she was a small bump and the other kaboom you're four months pregnant. Waitwat? But at the least we ended up the book with a baby. That was nice lolIn the end, the book isn't the beeeeeeeeeeeeest of the series, but some of the moments on it were amazing, so I gave it a 5 stars, because I'm biased. Sue me.
katrenalove's review against another edition
4.0
I started this one back up in the middle from before the pandemic started so I was fuzzy on the details but once I remembered what was going on in the story I enjoyed it's cheesy parts and the steamy parts too.
thegeekyblogger's review against another edition
3.0
Listened for Review (Penguin Audio)
Overall Rating: 3.50
Story Rating: 3.25
Character Rating: 3.75
Audio Rating: 4.00 (Not part of the overall rating)
First Thought when Finished: The last quarter of The King by J.R. Ward bumped the rating from a 3.00 to a 3.50, it was a very good way to end that story.
Note: This will probably be my last BDB book for awhile. I think my love affair with these characters has gone. That isn't on J.R. Ward. She has been very consistent these last few books in how she is now telling these stories. There is just too much going on for me and not enough quality time with the lead characters of each book. That is just a personal reading preference. Many people (including my mom) still love this series! That means I will always have access to the books should I choose to come back. So instead of going into why this just doesn't work for me anymore (It is me, not the books), I am just going to do an audio review.
Audio Thoughts:
I love Jim's narration of this series. He makes the slang a little less annoying. He makes me smile with his ability to show the brotherhood at their best and show their camaraderie. I also like his ability to make the bad guys, pretty darn bad. I do recommend these on audio (if you haven't already been reading them). I think it would be harder for someone who has only been reading the series to jump in though because I guarantee that some of the characters will sound different in your head.
Final Thoughts: Despite my problems with the story (or the sheer amount of them), I did love the ending. I think the series is about to turn a corner and it just might be really good!
Overall Rating: 3.50
Story Rating: 3.25
Character Rating: 3.75
Audio Rating: 4.00 (Not part of the overall rating)
First Thought when Finished: The last quarter of The King by J.R. Ward bumped the rating from a 3.00 to a 3.50, it was a very good way to end that story.
Note: This will probably be my last BDB book for awhile. I think my love affair with these characters has gone. That isn't on J.R. Ward. She has been very consistent these last few books in how she is now telling these stories. There is just too much going on for me and not enough quality time with the lead characters of each book. That is just a personal reading preference. Many people (including my mom) still love this series! That means I will always have access to the books should I choose to come back. So instead of going into why this just doesn't work for me anymore (It is me, not the books), I am just going to do an audio review.
Audio Thoughts:
Narrated By Jim Frangione / Length: 22 hrs and 4 mins
I love Jim's narration of this series. He makes the slang a little less annoying. He makes me smile with his ability to show the brotherhood at their best and show their camaraderie. I also like his ability to make the bad guys, pretty darn bad. I do recommend these on audio (if you haven't already been reading them). I think it would be harder for someone who has only been reading the series to jump in though because I guarantee that some of the characters will sound different in your head.
Final Thoughts: Despite my problems with the story (or the sheer amount of them), I did love the ending. I think the series is about to turn a corner and it just might be really good!
nero1279's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
🎧Audio Version🎧
Another great instalment of the series. Def leaves one wondering about other characters and their development which wasn’t explored into detail. Naturally this makes you want to delve deeper into the world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Onto the next book! Wrath has worked himself onto the book boyfriend shelve (sorry Beth) 🤣
Another great instalment of the series. Def leaves one wondering about other characters and their development which wasn’t explored into detail. Naturally this makes you want to delve deeper into the world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Onto the next book! Wrath has worked himself onto the book boyfriend shelve (sorry Beth) 🤣