Lover at Last by J.R. Ward

Blay and Qhuinn's book 



Lover at Last (Black Dagger Brotherhood book 11)

by J.R. Ward

Book Blurb:
Qhuinn, son of no one, is used to being on his own. Disavowed from his bloodline, shunned by the aristocracy, he has finally found an identity as one of the most brutal fighters in the war against the Lessening Society. But his life is not complete. Even as the prospect of having a family of his own seems to be within reach, he is empty on the inside, his heart given to another....

Blay, after years of unrequited love, has moved on from his feelings for Qhuinn. And it’s about time: The male has found his perfect match in a Chosen female, and they are going to have a young—just as Qhuinn has always wanted for himself. It’s hard to see the new couple together, but building your life around a pipe dream is just a heartbreak waiting to happen. As he’s learned firsthand.

Fate seems to have taken these vampire soldiers in different directions... but as the battle over the race’s throne intensifies, and new players on the scene in Caldwell create mortal danger for the Brotherhood, Qhuinn finally learns the true definition of courage, and two hearts who are meant to be together... finally become one.

I just closed the cover on my long awaited read, Lover at Last. I can't really write a full out review because there was just to much stuff and I am probably the last person who is addicted to this series that has finally read the book. Here are my first impressions, likes and negatives:

1. J.R. Ward seriously needs to do some spin off books because there are waaaaaay to many stories swirling in one book. (and some I couldn't care less to read about *cough* iAM & Trez *cough*

2. J.R. Ward gave Qhuinn and Blay complete justice and this part of Lover at Last was stellar. There was emotion, great conversations and excellent M/M sex. At times it was raunchy & sexy and other times it was touching & soft ( even if no prep or lubrication was required *frowns* ). If the book was only about this long awaited couple, it would have been a solid 5 for me. Plus I totally love Blay's parents.

3. Now regarding Qhuinn & Blay's relationship, why was it so necessary for Qhuinn to determine and state if he was gay or not. Why can't he be bi? Why does it matter that he needed to be defined into one category or another? I don't know but it really annoyed me. 

4. I have no idea what the heck is going on with Xcor and Layla. I mean whaaaaaat?!?! I'm not liking it. I like the new Layla but I get so angry that she is completely stabbing Wrath in the back with her thoughts of Xcor. I need loyalty. I'm not feeling that with her. 

5. Why did Assail get so much page time? (refer back to #1) Regardless, I was totally digging the chemistry between Sola and Assail (even though I have no idea why they are getting any book time) 

6. Looove the King storyline. I love the battles of wits here. They are going to fight with words and laws and I have a serious, full of angst, love/hate relationship with those types of storylines. I find those types of stories really smart and probably a hell of a lot harder to write. It will be odd because the BDB are fighters not scholars so we will see. At least I don't have long to wait for the next book. 

7. Very interesting take on the laws in the vampire world. I love Wrath as king don't get me wrong but really when you think about it, it could be possible that a human (Wrath's offspring) could end up being the future king of vampires and that does seem really wrong to me. So much to take in. 

8. The Lessors are becoming a bit of a yawn. I wanted to skip over those parts although I didn't. I swear. 

9. I don't like the many inconsistencies.  What I mean is how come Z couldn't materialize with his gun shot wound but Blay could?  Why was it that Qhuinn flew the plane for Z when Blay was right there? John Matthew was left unprotected in a very dangerous position.  Of course the story was better because Qhuinn flew the plan but really it should have been Blay. If the glymeria were so freaked out about Qhuinn's different coloured eyes and they are uncomfortable with Wrath's eyesight (and the BDB needs to keep his total eyesite loss a secret) why oh why would anyone even for a moment consider a serious deformity such as Xcor's cleft palate (which has been compared to that of a monster) be fit for a king's position?   

10. The changing POV drove me nutso. I just hated that. Not a fan of that style at all. 

11. I love that Qhuinn is officially a brother but I just don't think he should have been made before John Matthew. It just didn't feel right to me. 

12. The last book had lots of Autumn & Tohr and John Matthew & Xhex. They were barely mentioned in this book. I was super surprised that John Matthew was hardly in Lover at Last at all because the trio have been best friends for so long. I didn't need a full out storyline but a bit more of a mention about Xhex or Autumn at least. It seemed very odd. 

  

Lover Reborn by J.R. Ward

Tohr and No'One's book



Lover Reborn (Black Dagger Brotherhood book 10)

By J.R. Ward

Book Blurb:Ever since the death of his shellan, Tohrment has been 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, unprepared for a new tragedy. Seeing his beloved in dreams—trapped in a cold, isolated netherworld—Tohr turns to the angel Lassiter to save his former mate.

The only way to rescue her is for Tohr to love another. As war with the lessers rages, and a new clan of vampires vie for the Blind King’s throne, Tohr struggles between an unforgettable past and a hot, passion-filled future. But can his heart let go and set all of them free?

Well done J.R. Ward. Well done. 
There over 17,000 reviews on Goodreads so here is a review that is not going to add a whole bunch of insight that hasn't already been shared. Just some thoughts and opinions. 

When Lover Reborn was released, I was tempted to run out and get it right away but I held back. Mostly because I didn't want the hardcover (because it wouldn't have matched my other BDB books) and I refused to pay the crazy $10.41 price tag on Kindle. So I avoided spoiler reviews and I avoided the excited tweets. It was killing me but I was determined to wait for the mass market paperback release. My plan was to wait for it to come out and then I'd hide away and read it all in one sitting (if I could). Well that was this weekend. 

Going into Lover Reborn, I honestly didn't know what it was going to be about other than I knew it was going to focus on Tohr and No'One. I'm still spinning about the No'One and Xhex connection so I was totally ready to read more about that. Well there really wasn't too much more of a story line between Xhex and No'One but was offered left me completely satisfied. I don't think I needed chapters and chapters about their sequel. I think J.R. Ward did a great job of merging their stories and setting forth a great future. I am pleased. 

There were so many side stories within Lover Reborn that it makes for a really big book. 627 pages in the paperback to be exact. So if it was so long, why did I want it longer? Because I am an addict and I can't get enough of this band of brothers. I would have read 627 more pages with ease. 

Xhex and John Matthew
Not all is well with their newly mated status. John frustrated me but I understood. I thought Xhex handled the situations dealt to her perfectly and I ended up liking Xhex even more in this book than I already did. You go girlfriend! Most of the heat in Lover Reborn is from this couple. 

Saxton/Quinn/Blay
Oh man their book cannot get here fast enough. I've seen the new cover and the buzz is already in full force about their story. I just may have to break down and buy the Kindle version of their book because I am anticipating it so much.

Quinn/Layla
WOW. I kind of thought it was a bit selfish of them to try and bring forth a new life when they weren't really committed to each other. It really isn't even that that bugged me. It's more that they had a need to create a young just so that they'd have someone to love and care for. It bothered me but it does open the door for a super great story in the future. Oh the complications this coupling is going to cause!

Xcor/Throe/Layla
Where the hell is J.R. Ward going to take us with this story? I totally haven't a clue but Lover Reborn sure has a solid cliffhanger just left dangling for us BDB addicted fans. 
I am confused with the storyline of Xcor wanting to be king. How can he be king? I can understand the fighting to overthrow a royal line and to do away with royalty all together but how can he think he can just become a king? What am I missing?
Also, if the glymera were so harsh on Quinn just for having mismatched eyes, how could they possibly want to have someone with a deformity as Xcor to be a new king? Maybe Xcor doesn't get that yet. 

Tohr/No'One/Lassister
I love the symbolism of the seasons in Lover Reborn. With Tohr being in mourning for so many books, it was awesome to see that he wasn't all of a sudden cured just because No'One came into the picture. The entire relationship between Tohr and No'One was really well written and held an excellent pace. I have nothing but praise. I am also very pleased that we will see more of Lassister too. 

So I guess I need to hang on until April for the next book. I can't wait. I really loved this Black Dagger Brotherhood book. 

Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward

Manny & Payne's book but more about V & Jayne


Lover Unleashed 


by J.R. Ward


Book Blurb:
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.




V is my favourite brother, true. So on that mention, I loved Lover Unleashed. Since the fifth book Lover Unbound I had always felt that Vishous' story hadn't been told completely. I wanted more. I felt like there was still some unresolved issues. I wasn't a fan of Jane being a ghost and I felt like V got the short end of the stick for his shellan. I liked Jane well enough it's just the whole ghost thing and were they really happy with that ending. Lover Unleashed was a perfect resolve for me. 

Manny and Payne's story was great. Their chemistry was a bit to immediate for me though. I couldn't understand how Manny had been pinning for Jane for an entire year and then he walks into the hospital room, sees Payne and BAM he's in love and Jane is all but a distant memory. I'm glad he got over Jane but the instant "MINE" gave me whiplash it was so fast. 

I liked Payne. I loved her speech and I loved how she went after the Bloodletter for all that he had done to V. She is a good sister. I especially loved that even though Payne is a kick ass chick, she can still be a soft, warm and a loving woman. It was good to see that not all tough women like Xhex need to be so butchy. 

Manny was a good guy and I liked how he stood up to the Brothers. He knew they could easily kill him but that didn't stop him from standing his ground. Very interesting story ending on a way to link Manny to the Brothers. J.R. Ward set it up so that it could be elaborated or just left well enough alone. Smart writing. 

I loved that Lover Unleashed had lots of Butch and V scenes. I adore reading about those two together. I love their talks and how close they are. Lover Unleashed offers many squee moments and one particular pivotal moment that completely demonstrates just how tight their friendship really is. 

A new group of vampires were introduced and I am dying to know where J.R. Ward is going to take us with them. Another great set up for future books. All I know is that I am super interested in that story line. 

Poor Layla. She needs a life. I have no idea what is going on with Blay and Quinn and how Layla fits into all of this. Vampires aren't keen on sharing so I don't think a vampire menage is in their cards but something is definitely up with all of them.  I want to keep reading the series just to see how that all plays out. 

So all in all, excellent book. I loved it. In fact I devoured it so I may have to re-read it shortly so that I can enjoy it a bit more and I won't be in such a rush to get to the end. Lover Unleashed was so good I didn't want to put it down. 

Teasers: steamy shower, return of V's penthouse, waxed leathers, distant relative

Teaser Tuesday - Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Lover Unleashed

By J.R. Ward

As the back of his neck went ants-all-over in warning, he passed his glowing hand around moving outward from the bodies in a concentric circle. 
     Well, well, well...wasn't this a blast from the past. 
     And so not in a good way. 
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