Tag: Abuse

My Happy Marriage, Vol. 4

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My Happy Marriage, Vol. 4 by Akumi Agitogi, Rito Kohsaka, Tsukiho Tsukioka
Series Name: My Happy marriage (Manga)
Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Romance
Intended Age Group: Teen
Publisher: Square Enix
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 978-1-64609-248-2
Rating: 3/5
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Description from the Book

Miyo Saimori, the eldest of her clan and yet unblessed by the supernatural talent that graced her father and half sister, is sent off to marry into the Gifted Kudo clan. The young and aloof clan leader, Kiyoka Kudo, finds himself intrigued by this girl who stands worlds apart from the spoiled, social-climbing women who usually vie for his hand.

All too soon, Kiyoka comes to regard Miyo with affection and they make their engagement real and official, but Miyo still worries she lacks the training to be a wife worthy of the Kudo clan. Enter Kiyoka’s older sister, Hazuki, who takes it upon herself to tutor Miyo – and tease Kiyoka along the way!

Suddenly Miyo and Kiyoka cross paths with a mysterious man named Arata Tsuruki. What does he want, and what connection does he have to the enigmatic and powerful Usuba clan that Miyo’s mother hailed from?

Personal & Info

I bought this at the same time as volume three, and I read them back to back. Unfortunately, there is no word of the existence of, or any plan for, volume five. I hope the manga continues, but in the mean time, I’m going to work on getting the light novels. The light novels seem to be still ongoing with new releases.

Characters

Miyo Saimori is the leading lady. She has a long history of suffering abuse at the hands of her own family. Now that she’s out from under their roof, she can finally start to heal.

Kiyoka Kudo is the male love interest. He has high political and military standing as well as wealth, and he is the current head of the Kudo family. His job is getting very demanding.

Yurie is Kiyoka’s housekeeper. She has taken care of him since he was young, and he trusts her implicitly. She is a kind older woman and she is fond of Miyo.

Hazuki Kudo is Kiyoka Kudo’s older sister. We learn more about her history in this volume.

Yoshito Godo is a young man who works as Kiyoka’s aide in the grotesquery military branch. We see him frequently in this book as Kiyoka spends a lot of time at work.

Arata Tsuruki is 24 years old, and the heir to the Tsuruki family, which owns a trading company.

Story & Thoughts

This seems like a plot building volume. Miyo’s immediate family problems are behind her and no longer a threat to her health or wellbeing. The story is moving forward with Miyo’s education and dealing with her trauma.

Her biggest problem in this book is her nightmares. The cause is unclear, but they’re obviously related to her trauma. She’s not receiving scathing verbal abuse from her family anymore, so her mind is supplying it while she sleeps. While she’s struggling with that, Kiyoka spends most of the volume busy with work.

Some important and interesting things go on in this volume. I can’t say I’m satisfied with it, though. It’s good for the story progression, but I also feel like it’s a step backwards. Miyo’s health is deteriorating, again, and she hasn’t learned how to make her needs or struggles heard. She still has a long way to go when it comes to recovering from her family’s abuse.

The things I like most about the volume are that we learn more about what Hazuki’s life has been like, and Kiyoka finally makes some progress on research regarding the Usubas. There’s enough new information to draw me in for reading the next book when it eventually becomes available. It would be more interesting if we could see the side of Kiyoka’s job that isn’t just paperwork, but maybe that will come along later.

To Ease the Pain of Loneliness

This is a bonus novel style chapter. It stars Hazuki reminiscing with Miyo about the time when Kiyoka decided to leave home. She ponders what he needed from the house in which he currently lives, and what similar aspects she sees in Miyo that makes Kiyoka enjoy her company. It’s written with Hazuki’s perspective. I think it gives her a little more depth to add onto the little we’ve learned about her.

My Happy Marriage, Vol. 3

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My Happy Marriage, Vol. 3 by Akumi Agitogi, Rito Kohsaka, Tsukiho Tsukioka
Series Name: My Happy Marriage (Manga)
Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Romance 
Intended Age Group: Teen
Publisher: Square Enix
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 978-1-64609-156-0
Rating: 3/5
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Description from the Book

Though Miyo Saimori has found a place as Kiyoka Kudo‘s potential bride, the fact remains that she is untouched by thee supernatural power that defines both the Saimori and Kudo clans.

While Kiyoka seems willing to accept her as she is, Miyo is unsure and bewildered – she has never known such warmth in all her life…

Just as Miyo dares to believe she may have found happiness at last, her jealous half sister, Kaya, kidnaps her and locks her in a storehouse. Kaya’s eyes are red with rage as she declares her intention to dissolve Miyo and Kiyoka’s engagement and take Miyo’s place as his fiancée herself!

Will Kiyoka’s otherworldly abilities deliver her from Kaya’s clutches in time?

Personal & Info

I reread the first two volumes before reading this. It had been a while since I read them, and I was a bit late in getting volume three. I bought volumes three and four at the same time, so I’ll be caught up on the manga after reading both. Volume five is not yet out, even though it was rumored to release October of 2023.

Characters

Miyo Saimori is the leading lady. She has a long history of suffering abuse at the hands of her own family. Now that she’s out from under their roof, she can finally start to heal.

Kiyoka Kudo is the male love interest. He has high political and military standing as well as wealth, and he is the current head of the Kudo family.

Yurie is Kiyoka’s housekeeper. She has taken care of him since he was young, and he trusts her implicitly. She is a kind older woman and she is fond of Miyo.

Kaya Saimori is Miyo’s younger half-sister. She received everything Miyo did not growing up, and has been conditioned to want to be better than Miyo at everything and always have better than her.

Koji Tatsuishi is Miyo’s childhood friend. He is engaged to Kaya as an arrangement to become the next head of the Saimori family since they don’t have any sons.

Hazuki Kudo is Kiyoka Kudo’s older sister.

Masashi Okaito is the forty-year-old Major General in charge of the Grotesquerie unit.

Story & Thoughts

The first chunk of the book finishes the events from volume two. It shows Miyo’s side of things while Kiyoka is breaking down the gate. She stands up for herself against her family’s wishes for the first time in her life. I’m so proud of Miyo for not surrendering when it matters most. She’s had a lot of growth in a short amount of time.

Miyo’s family is absolutely insane. They shouldn’t have set her up with Kiyoka Kudo in the first place if they were going to decide she wasn’t good enough for that kind of life. They probably expected him to immediately throw her out.

The rest of the volume is more relaxed. Miyo wants to continue her cancelled education from her childhood, so Kiyoka’s older sister, Hazuki, is arranged to be her tutor. She seems super nice, and interacting with her will likely be good for Miyo.

New events are set in motion as Kiyoka receives a serious job order involving dangerous ghosts, and some interestingly foreboding foreshadowing predictions about Miyo. Something has been happening with her while she sleeps, so I wonder if all of these things are connected.

With her family out of the way, I’m curious to see what will happen next. I don’t like this volume as much as the first two, but it seems like it’s a transitional volume, so that’s normal. Either way, it’s still pretty good, and I’m looking forward to reading more of the series.

Rain

This is another bonus short story chapter written like a light novel. It focuses on an unpleasant memory of Miyo’s as a dream. The point of it seems to be Miyo realizing she can finally let out the repressed emotions she’s hidden away for so long, while speculating about whether it ever would have made a difference if she’d bothered to cry before. I think it shows more of her growth from healing to finally be able to let herself feel all the things she’s been repressing. The hope that one day she might not think about any of those traumatic experiences at all is promising.

Ghost Dog Secrets

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Ghost Dog Secrets by Peg Kehret
Genres: Abuse, Contemporary, Ghosts
Intended Age Group: Middle Grade
Publisher: Scholastic
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-545-38989-1
Rating: 2.5/5
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Description from the Book

Every day, Rusty feeds an injured German shepherd that’s left chained outside in the cold with no shelter, food, or water. When he can’t get Animal Control to help, Rusty and his friend Andrew unchain the dog, named Ra, and take it to their secret hideout. Meanwhile, the ghost of a collie has been visiting Rusty, and Ra’s mean owner is making increasingly scary threats. The boys will need to figure out what the ghost dog is trying to tell them before it’s too late!

Personal & Info

This is a stand alone novel I got when filling a basket during a sale. It involves a ghost, so I saved it for spooky season.

I’m sure what everyone cares about most for information regarding any dog book is, “does the dog die?” No, the dog does not die. However, there is a ghost of a dog who did die, and the story eventually tells you how they died.

Content Warnings

This book contains themes involving animal abuse. The abuse itself is not shown, but the results of it are.

Characters

Rusty Larson is the main character. He’s in sixth grade and lives with his single mother.

Andrew Pinella is Rusty’s best friend. He contains a multitude of random trivia information.

Ra is the German shepherd the story focuses on.

Gerald Langston is a bully who also cheats off of Rusty at school. He seems to get away with everything and never receives punishment.

Mrs. Webster is Rusty’s teacher. She does her best to impart morally correct lessons and encourage community support.

Heidi Kellogg is the local animal control officer. She takes her job seriously and does not restrict herself to business hours.

Various other students and faculty also have names, but don’t play major roles in the story. Rusty’s mom and Andrew’s family members appear frequently, but are not specifically given names, except for Andrew’s little sister Wendy.

Story & Thoughts

This is a generally okay book. It’s under two hundred pages, and the story quality is decent. The events of the story are pretty simple and straight forward.

Rusty’s sixth grade class undertakes a project fundraising for the local animal shelter to help a bunch of dogs that were recently rescued from a puppy mill. At the same time, Rusty wants to help a German shepherd he noticed chained outside with no food, water, or shelter. He and his friend Andrew try to go through the right channels at first, but take things a step too far, leading to problems, but potentially saving the dog’s life before he can starve.

The simplicity makes it relatable. Any dog lover is either going to be angry or upset reading the parts where the book discusses animal abuse. It’s not as emotionally upsetting as some more renowned tragic animal stories, but it’s still stirring to read about Rusty and Andrew trying to help Ra before he can come to any more harm, or any other dogs can be hurt by the same person.

As for the ghost, it’s not malicious. The ghost is a helpful dog who wants the same thing they do. It’s the ghost of a collie, and it does what it can to show Rusty that help is needed or give warnings.

The reason I’m giving this a score lower than three is because it felt a little bland. Between events, the story needed to pass days of tedium and waiting. It felt like there were more of those than the climactic parts. The parts the blurb covers don’t even happen until closer to the middle of the book. The morals and information regarding the rescue of animals are good lessons for the story, though.

My Happy Marriage, Vol. 2

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My Happy Marriage, Vol. 2 by Akumi Agitogi, Rito Kohsaka, Tsukiho Tsukioka
Series Name: My Happy Marriage (Manga)
Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Romance 
Intended Age Group: Teen
Publisher: Square Enix
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 978-1-64609-147-8
Rating: 4/5
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Description from the Book

For failing to inherit the unusual power that should be hers by birthright and bringing shame to her noble lineage, Miyo Saimori is cast out to become another’s problem.

Sent to the preternaturally powerful Kudo clan as a potential bride for its heir, Kiyoka, Miyo is surprised to experience true kindness for the first time in her life.

Despite the rumors in town that warn of his cold, haughty demeanor, Kiyoka Kudo warms quickly to the eldest Saimori daughter after the secrets of her past pique his interest.

But though Miyo has begin to feel at home with Kiyoka, the fact remains that she lacks the supernatural power prized by both the Saimori and Kudo clans, rendering her unfit to be Kiyoka’s bride.

Will the small happiness Miyo has found with Kiyoka end as soon as it has begun?

Personal & Info

I like the first volume, but for some reason ended up waiting a whole year to get around to reading the second. Probably because the series is releasing rather slowly. There’s an anime out now, though, so I want to catch up with the manga before watching that.

My Happy Marriage isn’t exactly a peppy series, but it can be both heartwarming and tragic. Keep that in mind when deciding when to indulge.

Characters

Miyo Saimori is the main character. She experienced abuse from her own family, and was sent to court a man everyone considers cruel. She has no psychic ability

Kiyoka Kudo is the love interest of the story. Everyone thinks he is too cruel for anyone to marry, but he has high political standing and wealth. He appears to have a destructive ability focusing around fire.

Yurie is Kiyoka’s housekeeper. She has taken care of him since he was young, and he trusts her implicitly. She is a very kind older woman.

Kaya Saimori is Miyo’s younger half-sister. She received everything Miyo did not growing up, and she blatantly bullies her sister whenever she sees her.

Koji Tatsuishi is Miyo’s childhood friend. His hope was to marry her one day to save her from her terrible family.

Yoshito Godo is a young man who works as Kiyoka’s aide in the grotesquery military branch. He appears in volume one, but shows up more frequently in this one.

Lord Tatsuichi, I didn’t catch his first name, is the head of his household. He makes some morally questionable decisions.

Kazushi Tatsuichi is Koji’s brother. I’m not sure if he is older or younger. He plays a minor role, and appears maybe twice.

Story & Thoughts

This volume is a little more cheery than the first one. Miyo is starting to make a little personal growth, but her past still haunts her. Her scars run deep, and the people who inflicted them are still around to cause more damage.

The plot thickens, delving more into the schemes and reasonings of people who don’t want Miyo to marry Kiyoka. Opposing sides are made clear showing who would like to protect her instead of using her for their own selfish desires. Some plans of protection are more reasonable than others.

Kaya and Koji both get more coverage. We see how terrible Kaya is, and a glimpse into her childhood to understand a little about why she turned out that way. Koji’s family dynamic is revealed, and his silent inner thoughts are surprising when compared to his exterior personality.

Overall, there’s a lot to unload in this volume. It pulls at my heart, and it blatantly shows where most of the main characters stand. Kiyoka is proving to be a better person than his public opinion implies. The Saimori and the Tatsuichi on the other hand, both are proving to be extremely sketchy.

It’s difficult to talk about this series without spoiling anything. These books are best read fresh, not knowing what will happen. That raw emotion of the first time read just hits hard. Miyo’s tragic past and her struggle moving forward. The slow burn of romance bringing the first real happiness into her life under the constant threat of losing it. I’ll definitely be reading this series long term.

What Godo Saw

Like the first volume, this is a short story relevant to the events of the book. Combs and Memories is more of a continuation. What Godo saw is a change in perspective, instead. It covers Godo’s side of the events of the dinner at Kiyoka’s home. Apparently there was more going on than it appeared, because this story gets into his head and states his intentions, as well as a few small conversations the manga did not show.

My Happy Marriage, Vol. 1

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My Happy Marriage, Vol. 1 by Akumi Agitogi, Rito Kohsaka, Tsukiho Tsukioka
Series Name: My Happy Marriage (Manga)
Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Romance 
Intended Age Group: Teen
Publisher: Square Enix
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 978-1-64609-146-1
Rating: 4/5
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Description from the Book

All She wanted was a bit of happiness…

Considered night worthless for having failed to inherit the superhuman powers of the bloodlines into which she was born, Miyo Saimori lives her days unwanted and unloved.

Her stepmother and very own father have little time or affection for her, and Miyo must suffer being treated as a servant by her half sister who, unlike Miyo, is blessed with the unusual powers of their blood.

Ultimately seen as nothing more than a nuisance and a drain on the family wealth, Miyo is packed off to the Kudo house as a bridal candidate for its heir, Kiyoka Kudo.

Whispers abound about the Kudo clan, the most powerful in all the land, but will the allegedly cold and cruel ouse into which Miyo aims to marry prove much warmer than the family she left behind?

Personal & Info

This is a fairly new release. It came out the same day as The Apothecary Diaries volume 6. I’ve seen it around a bit since the release, so when I saw it at my local bookstore, I decided to look into it.

This is apparently the manga version of the series, because there is also a light novel series. However, they are both extremely new to the English translation right now, so I don’t think it matters which one I start first. I think the light novel has a little more out than the manga does, but the manga was right there, so I wouldn’t have to order it.

Characters

Miyo Saimori is the main character. She experiences abuse from her own family, and is sent to court a man everyone considers cruel. Nobody expects her to stay long.

Kiyoka Kudo is the love interest of the story. Everyone thinks he is too cruel for anyone to marry, but he has high political standing and wealth, so many families try to arrange a marriage anyway. Most end in failure within a three day time period.

Yurie is Kiyoka’s housekeeper. She has taken care of him since he was young, and he trusts her implicitly. She is a very kind older woman.

Kanoko is Miyo’s step mother. She is a mean woman who resents Miyo. Her name does not come up in the volume, as far as I can remember, but it does in the short story at the end of the book.

Kaya is Miyo’s younger half sister. She receives everything Miyo does not.

Koji Tatsuishi is Miyo’s childhood friend, and the only person who is ever kind to her while she lives at home.

Shinichi Saimori is Miyo’s father. He cares not a whit for Miyo.

Sumi Usuba is Miyo’s mother. With this being a Cinderella inspired story, she is not around. We only see her in flashbacks.

Story & Thoughts

Halfway through the first chapter and this story already pulls on my heart strings. I was not expecting this to be this good. The cover doesn’t stand out to me, and the synopsis sounds mediocre, but dang. I’m going to have to keep reading the series.

The tone of the story comes off as rather serious. Miyo is a woman with a broken spirit. She’s sent to the Kudo household fully expecting to either be sent away or die there. She doesn’t even care which result occurs because either of them would be preferable to going back home, which she can’t do anyway.

There is some intrigue going on in the background, because it turns out the paranormal ability from the Usuba bloodline is special. There are people who want it. Even if Miyo herself does not have it, there’s still a good chance it could pass to her children. You know, because that’s how genetics work.

I don’t want to say too much, because I don’t want to detract from the experience of reading the book yourself. Just know that I am very interested in seeing where the story goes from here. I want to know what becomes of Miyo’s life under Kudo’s roof.

Combs and Memories

This is a short story in the back of the book. It’s about seven pages long. Miyo reminisces about a servant’s kindness regarding a comb. This is a novel style story, and if the light novel is anything like this, I’ll probably like that, too. I will likely get that version of this series eventually.

Lover Mine (Black Dagger Brotherhood #8)

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Lover Mine by J.R. Ward
Series Name: Black Dagger Brotherhood
Genres: Contemporary, Erotica, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Urban, Vampires
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Signet/Penguin Group (USA)
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-451-23155-0
Rating: 3.5/5
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Synopsis from the Book

John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown to himself and to those around him. After he was taken in by the Brotherhood, no one could guess what his true history was – or his true identity. Indeed, the fallen Brother Darius has returned, but with a different face, and very different destiny. As a vicious personal vendetta takes John into the heart of the war between vampires and their enemies, he will need to call upon both who he is now and who he once was in order to face off against evil incarnate – and rescue his one true love.

Personal & Info

If you weren’t looking forward to this volume, you’re probably lying. John has had plot building going on in the background of almost the entire series, and his sections have been some of the most alluring. I was impatient to get here.

There is a coded message before chapter one, and after the end of the last chapter. I’ll translate for people who don’t have the Insider’s Guide, which has an alphabet decoder in it. The code at the beginning says, “XHEX,” and the code at the end says, “JOHN MATTHEW.”

Characters

John Matthew finally gets his own book after being introduced in volume two.

Xhex, the love interest, experiences a lot of trauma and recovery. It’s similar to what Bella experienced, but a lot worse. Sex plays a big part in the recovery, which may not make total sense, but it’s fiction/fantasy and vampires, so whatever. If she needs good sex to recover from trauma sex, who am I to question fiction/fantasy erotica logic.

Lash is the most threatening villain so far, in my opinion.

Qhuinn experiences frustrations.

Blay starts dating, good for him.

Payne is introduced in this book. She spars with Wrath because she is not like other Chosen. Her book is next.

Story & Thoughts

I like this book, but I think there are things that could have been done differently to make the story and characters a little better.

We get a lot of Darius and Xhex backstory in this one. I like how it ties together with the current story involving John and Xhex. However, it can be considered a little weird. If you don’t see it, I’m not going to point it out.

I don’t like how Xhex, essentially, what did she call it, “chicked out.” That seemed out of character for her. She goes through a lot of trauma and stuff in this volume, but it’s like her whole personality tweaked and she became similar to all the other girls, at least for a little while. The balance of her vulnerable side versus her tough side seemed uncharacteristically different. I didn’t think she’d change THAT much after how she handled herself.

Lash’s part in the story feels anticlimactic. It seems necessary in order to tie up the story neat and tidy, but I just don’t find it satisfying.

Blay and Qhuinn’s sections feel more solid than John and Xhex. I found myself disappointed to only see glimpses of their story. I’m impatient to see more.

Kidnapping seems to be a running theme in the series. This is at least the third time someone has been kidnapped in proximity to the Brothers. I’m sure it probably won’t be the last.

Notable Issues

There are inconsistencies with John’s hair. This whole thing takes place over, maybe, a few days. The beginning of the book says he has a buzz cut, shaved bald, basically. Later on, fingers are run through his, “thick hair.” There’s no way his hair would have grown long enough for that in that time period.

I’m not sure what the ghost hunter parts have to do with anything. I get it’s probably a set up for later, but it seems so random and out of place throughout the book. It drags the story, and makes me get that, “why am I reading this,” feeling. I don’t care about the love life of two ghost hunter TV people. The parts that are likely to be important later are so small, I think the entire sub-story could have been cut. What Xhex sees on TV is probably enough.

Trigger Warnings

I’m just keeping a running list of trigger warnings that have been in the series so far, from what I can remember. If you’re reading the series, or considering reading the series, and you have sensitivities, you might want to know these. The list so far: abuse, attempted rape, drugs, kidnapping, sexual themes, rape, and violence.

Lover Unbound

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Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward
Series Name: Black Dagger Brotherhood
Volume Number: 5
Genres: Contemporary, Erotica, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Urban, Vampires
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Signet/Penguin Group (USA)
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-451-22235-0
Rating: 3/5
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Description from the Book

In Caldwell, New York, war rages between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers – six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Now the cold heart of a cunning predator will be warmed against its will….

Ruthless and brilliant, Vishous, son of the Bloodletter possesses a destructive curse and a frightening ability to see the future. As a pretrans growing up in his father’s war camp, he was tormented and abused. As a member of the Brotherhood, he has no interest in love or emotion, only the battle with the Lessening Society. But when a mortal injury puts him in the care of a human surgeon, Dr. Jane Whitcomb compels him to reveal his inner pain and taste true pleasure for the first time – until a destiny he didn’t choose takes him into a future that cannot include her….

Personal & Info

I like this one, but I don’t think it’s as good as two through four. Like the others, I read this about a year ago. My notes for this volume are practically nonexistent, so I’ll do my best with skimming and memory.

Content Warnings

I’m just keeping a running list of content warnings that have been in the series so far, from what I can remember. If you’re reading the series, or considering reading the series, and you have sensitivities, you might want to know these. The list so far: abuse, attempted rape, drugs, kidnapping, sexual themes, rape, and violence.

Characters

Vishous is the lead Brother in this volume, which I think is a good thing, because Butch was the book before this one. I’m glad V doesn’t have to wait a long time after Butch to find happiness.

Dr. Jane Whitcomb, or Doc Jane, as everyone will come to call her, is the love interest. She experienced a family tragedy when she was young that encouraged her to become a doctor. Her personal ethics as a medical professional are strong.

Butch, can’t have a V story without Butch. He may have found his own love, but the bromance lives on.

John Matthew will likely be important in every book until his own novel. He’s not usually plot heavy important, but the build up of his story is likely important. Qhuinn and Blay, too, because the three of them are like a packaged deal.

Phury’s book is next so he’s getting more plot building. Phury plot stuff means more Zsadist plot stuff. Phury still pines after Bella while Z’s relationship with her just keeps getting better.

Cormia is the chosen of the Chosen. She is supposed to be the first mate to the Primale of the vampire species, but she doesn’t want the job. I won’t say more about what any of that means to avoid possible spoilers.

Story & Thoughts

There were only one or two tiny encounters with the Lessers. It’s like this book was a complete break from the usual villains being involved in anything. Every book before this one had significant Lesser activities throughout. It seemed odd with it missing.

The Brotherhood, and Vishous’ backstory are the primary focus for this volume. As with Lover Awakened, this volume has some heavier abuse themes. V did not have a good time in his father’s camp.

The pacing of romantic and erotic events seem a bit fast. I think Stockholm syndrome plays a big part in it.

Ever since John was introduced, a mass sprinkling of details and plot building for him has been going on in the background. His sections are some of my favorite parts. I love how Z takes the time to go for walks with John and talk with him. It’s very adoptive dad of him.

I’m baffled by the constant mentioning of the need for more warriors, yet the members of the Brotherhood are constantly given permission to have Shellans who can’t bare children. It’s not all of them. Wrath and Beth, for example, could feasibly have children. But it seems like most, if not all of the Brothers, don’t have any living family, so they are all the last of their lines. It makes me wonder if they should, or will, take more than one mate in the future. I doubt it, but the lore says males can do that. It seems a shame to let their lines die out if they are so important.

Lover Awakened

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Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward
Series Name: Black Dagger Brotherhood
Volume Number: 3
Genres: Contemporary, Erotica, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Urban, Vampires
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Signet/Penguin Group (USA)
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-451-21936-7
Rating: 4.5/5
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Description from the Book

In the Shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, a deadly turf war rages between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other – six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Of these, Zsadist is the most terrifying member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion and terror his only passion – until he rescues a beautiful female from the evil Lessening Society.

Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for each other begins to overtake them, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives them to the brink of madness. Now Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past and find a future with her….

Personal & Info

I’ve noticed some of the volumes I have don’t match any other cover images. I want to be accurate to which edition I read, so I’m taking a picture of the books for the ones of which I can’t find an accurate representation. For this particular series, it looks like a chunk of the copies I have contain a different Signet logo than other copies. I think, maybe, the copies I have use an outdated logo.

This volume is another one of my favorites. I don’t think I can choose between Lover Eternal and Lover Awakened. This one has a lot of abuse themes in it, so if you don’t like that kind of story, you might not like this volume. However, this one appears to be a fan favorite from what I’ve seen.

Content Warnings

At this point, I’m just keeping a running list of content warnings that have been in the series so far, from what I can remember. If you’re reading the series, or considering reading the series, and you have sensitivities, you might want to know these. The list so far: abuse, attempted rape, drugs, kidnapping, sexual themes, rape, and violence.

Characters

Zsadist is the primary Brother for this volume. We get to dig past his temper and hard shell to see his traumatic past and how he copes. The supposedly scariest and most intimidating of the Brothers has a softer side, and we get to see it.

Bella, who previously just wanted to dance with danger by flirting with Zsadist in the last book, has some trauma of her own. If there’s someone out there for him, it’s her. I think her recent experiences make her more suited to him. She may not have been a good match before.

Rehvenge, Bella’s brother. I can’t remember if he had any significant role in the first two books, but he’s in this one, so I should probably add drugs to the trigger warnings. Can’t have Rehv in the books without drugs.

Tohrment, this book is both a great and terrible time for Tohr…

Phury, you can’t have a Z story without Phury. They are far too close for that to be permissible.

Blaylock will be significant later. He’s one of John’s classmates.

Lash is an a-hole, whom, unfortunately, will be significant.

Story & Thoughts

This series keeps getting better as it goes. This volume has drama as Zsadist and Phury are so similar as twins they even have the same taste in women. Their history is revealed in a series of flashbacks cluing the reader in on Zsadist’s traumatic past, and Phury’s quest to find him. It’s impossible to learn more about one of them without including the other. They’re twins and therefore their lives are eternally linked.

I think this book is as much about Zsadist’s character development as it is the romance. Z has leaps and bounds of character growth, and so does Bella. Two traumatized people learn to help and love each other. Of course, the love part gets an assisted boost as the series shows a needing for the first time. It’s pretty extreme.

Substantial plot building has been laid out over the course of the first three volumes, and I’m interested to see where things go. I’m hooked on the series, and don’t plan to stop reading any time soon.

I thought I adjusted to the terminology and slang in this series. I was proven wrong in this volume. In John’s sections, he mentions the use of “ji” for martial arts. I’m certain this term is incorrect. It should be a “gi.” I did some googling to make sure. It bugged me every time I read it, and it will continue to bug me every time I see it.

Sometimes I think words are abbreviated for no reason other than to make characters or the writing sound cooler. This guy was using binoculars, but they were constantly referred to as “binocs.” I’ve never heard anyone call them that. I don’t know if it’s a common term abbreviation, but I suspect not.

This book was very close to a 5/5, but I couldn’t get past enough small oddities to approve that score.