Book: Lover Reborn
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #10
Author: J.R. Ward
Narrator: Jim Frangione
Release Date: 03-28-12
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Length: 23 hrs & 13 mins
Links: Amazon | Audible | Goodreads
My Rating: 3 stars
Ever since the death of his shellan, Tohrment is a heartbroken shadow of the vampire leader he once was. Brought back to the Brotherhood by a self-serving fallen angel, he fights again with ruthless vengeance- and is unprepared for a new tragedy. Seeing his beloved in dreams—trapped in a cold, desolate netherworld—he turns to the angel to save his former mate, only to despair at the path he himself must take to set her free. As war with the lessers rages, and a new clan of vampires vies for the Blind King’s throne, Tohr struggles between an unforgettable past, and a future that he doesn’t know he can live with… but can’t seem to turn away from.
Review:
I knew it was too soon for Tohr’s story!
It really pains me to say this but Tohr is such an asshat. Not only did he offend me in every possible way, first by boring me to death, then by emphasizing his douchebaggeryness, he also failed to be the least bit sexy, which I have no problem admitting is the exact reason why I read PNRs in the first place – for the hot as hell male lead! I mean, come on! Is it really too much to ask for – a desirable hero?
And No’One as the romantic interest? Umm…if this was the woman I was supposed to be simultaneously in awe of/feel jealousy towards because she managed to capture the heart of the unattainable rake, that didn’t happen because No’One really was no one. Her character lacked any kind of substance and had about as much personality as a doormat. And, as if I needed a further example of this, Tohr renames her, like a parent would a babe? Agh! I found this incredibly demeaning even though I suspect it was supposed to be a swoon worth gesture.
The JM/Xhex storyline pissed me off, too. You don’t go through what they went through just to be complete idiots and eff up everything afterwards. Or, maybe you do? What do I know about immortal relationships? I also think Ward made a mess of the whole Qhuinn/Layla/Blay/Xcor thing. Poor Layla. She totally got cheated out of having her stairway to heaven perfect first time.
Thank the Scribe Virgin for the Band of Bastards. More than once, the happening involving them were what kept me interested in LR, and they’ll keep me invested in the series — well, them along with Qhuay!
I know many BDB fans loved LR, and I wish I could be amongst them, but the romance just didn’t work for me. Still, as always, I enjoyed Ward’s writing style because it’s fun to read.
While listening to this audiobook, I MAY or may not have tripped on my treadmill. I think I just got a little too worked up over some parts of the story.
Book: Stray
Series: Shifters #1
Author: Rachel Vincent
Narrator: Jennifer Van Dyck
Release Date: 05-31-07
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd.
Length: 13 hrs & 53 mins
Links: Amazon | Audible | Goodreads
My Rating: 3 stars
There are only eight breeding female werecats left . . .And I’m one of them.
I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds.
Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself. Until the night a Stray attacked.
I’d been warned about Strays — werecats without a Pride, constantly on the lookout for someone like me: attractive, female, and fertile. I fought him off, but then learned two of my fellow tabbies had disappeared.
This brush with danger was all my Pride needed to summon me back…for my own protection. Yeah, right. But I’m no meek kitty. I’ll take on whatever — and whoever — I have to in order to find my friends. Watch out, Strays — ’cause I got claws, and I’m not afraid to use them…
Review:
Before listening to Stray, I kind of already knew what to expect. I’d read reviews for the series before, so I knew Faythe was going to be a challenging MC to support. And, as it turns out, the rumors were true.
Overall, I thought the story was okay. Shifters in Texas may not seem like anything new, and they’re not, but the hierarchy of the pack and the rules that govern them seemed well developed. But, much like Faythe, a certain amount of focus was missing from the story. And I often found myself bit frustrated/annoyed with Faythe because she didn’t really ask the right questions or make the smartest decisions. Plus, she has a bad habit of picking the the worst times possible to negotiate. But, I guess, she’s got to learn somehow, right?
Though I can’t say I was super or even mildly enthralled with this first book in this series, it’s one I wouldn’t mind following up on if I happen across the succeeding books at the library because, as I’ve said many times before, I have no problem continuing to read about a lackluster female protag if the males in her life are yummy, and such is the case with Faythe’s tale (yes, I’m that shallow when it comes to fictional hotties).
BTW, it’s never a good idea to roll your eyes on the treadmill, least you trip over air again!
Book: Lover Unleashed
Author: J.R. Ward
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #9
Release Date: March 29th 2011
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Source: purchased from Audible
Length: 18 hrs & 37 mins
Links: Amazon | Audible | Goodreads
My Rating: 4 stars
Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, warrior cloth as her brother: A fighter by nature, and a maverick when it comes to the traditional role of Chosen females, there is no place for her on the Far Side… and no role for her on the front lines of the war, either.
When she suffers a paralyzing injury, human surgeon Dr. Manuel Manello is called in to treat her as only he can- and he soon gets sucked into her dangerous, secret world. Although he never before believed in things that go bump in the night- like vampires- he finds himself more than willing to be seduced by the powerful female who marks both his body and his soul.
As the two find so much more than an erotic connection, the human and vampire worlds collide … just as a centuries old score catches up with Payne and puts both her love and her life in deadly jeopardy.
Review:
How could I let myself forget what a big fan I am of the BDB or of Ward’s writing? Seriously, if I had to describe this series or Ward’s ability to string together syllables in a single word, I’d say it’s BADASS! I mean, really? Who else but Ward could get away with writing about a tortured vampire than needs his best friend to beat the ever living daylight out of him just so he can reach that point of carnal release he needs so badly? Yet Ward does more than push and blur boundaries; she also makes sure each sentence she creates packs the right amount of power, or poignancy, or smexiness!
I remember when I first discovered this series in May 2010, yes I was late to the party, and read the books in quick succession. I also remember that as I grew more invested in the BDB and each brother’s HEA, I found myself getting really upset over the direction some of the romances took. What happened to Doc Jane and V, for instance, pissed me off more than I care to admit. I was so heartbroken and irritated after their story that I let my interest in the series fade. So when Lover Unleashed was released, I could hardly bring myself to care.
Well, as Pretty Woman would say, “Big mistake. Big. Huge!”
Lover Unleashed was just what I needed to remind myself that Ward has created something kind of special with this long standing series. Sure, she still has the ability to push my buttons, but as I eased myself back into the BDB world, I learned to get over myself and just enjoy the story for it’s entertainment value, of which it is bountiful.
When I finally decided to pick up LU, I allowed myself to just go with it, though I can’t say I was surprised to discover that V and Doc Jane were facing some serious problems that needed to be worked out. And yeah, in case you haven’t picked up on it yet, I’m not a fan of that female, but before you start tearing me a new one, please remember that Jane is a freaking ghost, which is just redonkulous!
Anyhoo, not gonna go there. Gonna keep things light.
Payne and Manny’s romance was pretty vanilla, and pretty standard. She – a female of worth, he – a brilliant surgeon, but pitiful human nonetheless. And they want to be together but circumstance keeps them apart…yada, yada, yada. Sure, it’s more of the same stuff that romance readers have grown used to, but what’s different is that Ward uses her signature writing style to really amp things up. LU may have quickly fell into a comfortable, secure rhythm that alternated between quiet humming to violent wailing, but it didn’t take me long to realize that both choruses created a symphonic masterpiece.
What I enjoyed most, was the introduction of The Band of Bastards. It was such a relief to not have to read from the Lesser POV anymore. Instead, I enjoyed being whisked away to the old ways with Xcor and his warriors. Also, I lived for the moments between Qhuinn and Blay. They make me ache in such a heartfelt way.
Believe me, I will never again let myself forget that this is a series of worth. And, I have every intention of catch up as fast as possible so that I can be ready for Qhuinn and Blay’s book as soon as it hits the shelves.
I’m currently reading Lover Reborn (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #10) by J.R. Ward and Tohr’s story is ripping my heart out. I thought I was ready for it, but GAH! Now, I’m not so sure. But the one thing I am sure of is that Tohr has irrevocably captured my heart.
Tohrment, son of Hharm:
- dark, thick hair and sapphire eyes
- his mentor was Darius
- was mated to Wellsie
- later, he and his shellan adopted John Matthew (Darius’ reincarnation?)
- after Welsie and their unborn young were murdered, Tohr disappeared into the mountains and waited to die
- was retrieved by the angel Lassiter
- has a centuries old past with No’One, he rescued her, then she rescues him
“Question,” the angel said. “When are we going to cut that rug that’s growing out of your head? Shit gets any longer, we’re going to have to mow it down like hay.”
As Tohr stripped out of his T-shirt and boxers, he enjoyed the only consolation to be had in suffering Lassiter’s company: He flashed the motherfucker.
“Man, flat ass is right,” Lassiter muttered. “You’re sporting a pair of deflated basketballs back there. Makes me wonder…Hey, I’ll bet Fritz has a bicycle pump. I’m just saying.”
“You don’t like the view? You know the door. It’s the one you never knock on.”
~Lassiter & Tohr, Lover Avenged
His thumb went back and forth over the satin, as if he were rubbing her hip as he had when they’d been together, and he moved his leg over so that it was on top of the skirting.
It wasn’t the same, though. There was no body underneath, and the fabric smelled like lemons, not her skin. And he was, after all, alone in this room that was not theirs.
“God, I miss you,” he said in a voice that cracked. “Every night. Every day…”
~Lover Reborn
“I have peanut M&M’s up there.”
“Not my style”
“Raisinets.”
“Feh.”
“Sam Adams.”
Thor narrowed his eyes. “Cold?”
“Downright icy.”
Thor crossed his arms over his chest and told him self he was not pouting like a five-year-old. “I want Milk Duds.”
~Lassiter & Tohr, Lover Reborn
I’d cast actor Michael Fassbender as my Tohrment. He is deliciously gorgeous, yet can seamlessly pull off that vulnerable look.
My Book Boyfriend is a weekly meme. To find out more, check out the introduction post. To show off your fictional boyfriend, link your MBB post below. DIRECT links only.
I’ve always been dazzled by hot doctors, but after discovering the way Dr. Manuel “Manny” Manello, of Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward, “treated” his patient with special needs, he became extra appealing to me. Yes, I’m now guilty of trying to come up with a reason on why I need to go under his surgical knife. Anyone need an organ?
Manny:
- has dark hair and a hard face
- is a M.D. and the chief of surgery
- owns a horse named Glory
- drives a Porsche
“Love can conquer everything but reality. Which will win every stinking time.”
―Lover Unleashed
It finally happened, he thought as he burrowed under his shirt and took hold of his heavy cross. All his life he’d wondered why he’d never fallen in love, and now he knew: He’d been waiting for this moment, this woman, this time.
The female is mine, he thought.
―Lover Unleashed
“You are perfect for a female.”
“Not where I come from.”
“Then they’re using the wrong standard.”
―Lover Unleashed
My Manny is being played by actor Jo Weil.
ATTENTION MBB participants: If you have CAPTCHA on your blog, please consider turning it off (even for the day) to help make commenting simple and fun for everyone. For instructions on how to turn CAPTCHA off, visit this post: CAPTCHA: How to Eradicate Evil.
My Book Boyfriend is a weekly meme. To find out more, check out the introduction post. To show off your fictional boyfriend, link your MBB post below. DIRECT links only.
Call me a love sick puppy, but I’ve been thinking a lot about my book boyfriends this week and how crazy in love with them I am. Which got me to thinking about how crazy they are sometimes.
Yeah, sure love makes you do crazy things, but here are some of the top moments in book boyfriend history that caused me to shudder, and not always in a good way. Let’s call them the “Oh no he didn’t” moments.
Dear Big Bullshitter aka Eric,
You sly BAMF! Did you really trick Sookie into sucking that bullet out of your shoulder just so you could have a little link to her? You sexy creep, you.
xoxo,
Me
Dear Edward,
Please tell me you didn’t really demand that Bella marry you if she wanted you to turn her into a bloodsucking fiend. WTF? Oh hun. Just wait. As soon as the
“honeymoon” is over, there are going to be some serious issues in your sham of a marriage, and I don’t mean of the most craptastic baby name ever variety.
xoxox,
Me
Dear Bones,
Did you really slam a freaking piano against a wall, simultaneously causing me to crap in my pants, turning me on, and making me cry harder than I ever have before? That whole scene left me as mangled as the piano. Poor piano. And then…and then you make Cat agree to share your bed if she wants you to sire her? Well, now I know where Eddie got the idea from, but at least you admit to being a ruthless, manipulating bastard.
xoxo,
Me
Dear Barrons,
You scary son of a B! Did you really have to ruin a perfectly good birthday cake? YOUR birthday cake! There is a special place in hell reserved for people…er…beasts who take a yummy looking, pink frost chocolate cake with raspberry and chocolate cream filling and destroy it without trying a single bite. But seeing as you invented hell, I guess you already knew that.
xoxo,
Me
Dear Zsadist,
You insane son of a B! Did you really have to be all “My favorite sound in all the world” when Beth woke up and screamed at the sight of you? Then you follow it up with “Assuming she lives through the sex.” Gah! Talk about getting a chill that cuts through bone. Not the best approach to winning my heart, but glad that all changed.
xoxo,
Me
What “Oh no he didn’t” moments have you come across that made you think your book boyfriend may be a couple cans short of a six pack?
GIVEAWAY!!
My Zombie Valentine
by Katie MacAlister, Angie Fox, Marianne Mancusi, & Lisa Cach
Hardcover, 320 pages
Leisure Books
December 18, 2009
Tired of vampires and werewolves? This quartet of comedic zombie romances by bestselling authors will drive you mindless with hilarity!
Oh no, you’re groaning and screaming, “Not another giveaway Missie. Get over yourself.” But I’m celebrating my first year of ‘book’ blogging, and I wanted to do it by showing some follower appreciation love. Sorry for the overload. 
But THANK YOU to all who have entered. 
To enter for a chance to win My Zombie Valentine answer this question: What is the craziest thing you have ever done for love?
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