Lover at Last by JR Ward

Author: J. R. Ward
Publisher: NAL 
Date of publication: March 2013

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'm finally getting a chance to catch up on this series.  As much as I love the Black Dagger Brotherhood, the size of this book and number of audio discs kept me from reading it for a while.  I'm sad to say, this is the first one that I have been pretty disappointed in.   Lover at Last just wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be.  I have been waiting for Qhuinn and Blay's story for a long time.  It was the only thing that I really liked about the book. While it seemed to take forever for them to get there, their HEA was wonderful.

What I didn't like was all of the other stuff.  Their were too many characters and side stories to keep track of.  I know that the author is setting up for future books since all of the brothers are paired up now, but it was just too much and seemed a bit all over the place at times.  I wish that the book would really have focused more on Blay and Qhuinn.   I do have The King loaded up on my MP3 player.  I jut hope it is a bit more focused than this one.

Lover Reborn by J. R. Ward

Author: J. R. Ward

Publisher: NAL

Date of Publication: March 2012

 

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.

I was going to wait a few months to read Lover Reborn so that there would be less time between this one and the next one that comes out next year.  Then, it became available on CD at my library and I took that as a sign to read it now.  The upside is that I loved it. Lover Reborn is emotional, filled with action and loads of the humor I have come to love from the Brothers. The downside is that I have to wait an ENTIRE YEAR for the next book.  Which Ms. Ward has announce will be Blaylock and Quinn's story.  Can you say, "about time?" ?  But, I digress.


Unlike the other books, which happen over a much shorter time period, Lover Reborn takes place over an entire year.  To be honest, I think it was necessary for this book to work.  Tohr needed time to grieve and come to terms with the loss of Wellsie, as well as, learn to open his heart to another love.  This is probably the most emotional book for me. The pain he feels, especially toward the end of the book is just heartbreaking.  I loved him and No'One together.  It was nice to see Tohr find a new love and finally some happiness.   But, I will say the road to that happiness is not easy at all.


This book has so much going on in it that I don't want to give too much away.  The brothers are more present as a whole.  More so than in past books. A few relationships become stronger over the year. Xhex and No'One get to know each other more and there is some major healing in their mother/daughter relationship. John and Tohr begin to renew their father/son relationship.

Not everyone who is mated (I won't say who) is having the best of times as a couple and, given who this couple is, it felt like it was the right thing for the author to put them through. It will make for a much stronger relationship in the end.  The Band of Bastards play a huge role in the story and the reader gets to know them a bit better.  Not everyone in the group is what they initially seemed to be.  I could see the potential for future story lines.  


As I have said before, if you haven't had the chance to read the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, you are missing a great set of books!  But, don't start with this one.  Start at the beginning with Dark Lover.  Being book 10, Ms. Ward assumes you know a lot of back history and I think a newcomer would be a bit lost.  I will be anxiously waiting until next March when Blay and Quinn's story hits the shelves.  I can't wait!

Kari's most anticipated of 2012

Most of mine are sequels.Are you looking forward to any of these as well?

Happy New Year!!!!!!!

Kari's Top 10 of 2011

Here are mine in no particular order.  Honestly, I had more than 10 but these are the ones that stood out for me.
  (OK I cheated like Autumn and added an extra to make 11.) Enjoy!



The Last Blind Date By Linda Yellin
Forbidden by Ted Dekker
Darkness Dawns by Dianne Duvall
Cloaked by Alex Finn
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
The Heart of a Killer by Jaci Burton
Die for Me by Amy Plum
Hereafter by Tara Hudson
The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown
Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward
Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb

Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward

Author: J.R. Ward
Publisher: NAL Hardcover
Publication date: March 2011

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.

Lover Unleashed has so much going in it that in a way it felt like a transition book. Not really focusing on one relationship as the others have done, but necessary to move the series into a new direction and tie up some loose ends.  That said, I really liked this one.  Manny and Payne are well suited for each other.  I loved their relationship and their HEA.  I thought it was perfect.  While I liked Manny and Payne's story, I think I liked the secondary story involving Vishous, Jane and Butch the most.  While it was painful and heart wrenching, it brought a lot of resolution to the trio.

The Quinn and Blaylock situation is frustrating and really needs to be resolved. Hopefully there will be some relief soon for those of us who want to see them together. I also was disappointed that there was less of the Brothers as a whole in this one.  I wanted to see more John Michael and Zsadist (who will remain my favorite Brother forever!)

Even though I bought this book right when it came out last March, I held off reading it for months.  I am a huge fan of this series and have read all of the books.  Yet, I had a war going on inside me.  I wanted to know what happens next in the world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, but I knew that once it was read, I had an entire YEAR to wait for the next installment.  If you have been following this blog, you know I have no patience. Now I only have 4 months to wait. (Somewhere in my twisted mind, that makes sense to me!)

If you haven't read any of the series, I suggest you start at the beginning with the first book.  Being book 9, Lover Unleashed assumes the reader knows a lot of the back story.  In any case it is an excellent addition to the series.  March 2012 can't come fast enough!