Tag: Urban

Chosen

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Chosen by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Series Name: House of Night
Volume Number: 3
Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Urban, Vampires
Intended Age Group: YA
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-312-36030-6
Rating: 4.5/5
Amazon Barnes&Noble ThriftBooks

Description from the Book

Bloodlust and Dark forces are at work at the House of Night, and fledging vampyre Zoey Redbird’s adventures at the school take a mysterious turn. Those who appear to be friends are turning out to be enemies. And, oddly enough, sworn enemies are also turning into friends. So begins the gripping third installment of this “highly addictive series” (Romantic Times BOOKreviews), in which Zoey’s mettle will be tested like never before. Her best friend, Stevie Rae, is undeda and struggling to maintain a grip on her humanity. Zoey doesn’t have a clue how to help her, but she does know that anything she and Stevie Rae discover must be kept secret from everyone else at the House of Night, where trust has become a rare commodity. Speaking of rare, Zoey finds herself in a the very rare position of having three boyfriends, a situation with potential to spell social disaster. Then vampyres start turning up dead. Really dead. But as Zoey and her friends find out, things are not always what they seem….

Personal & Info

This series is definitely a result of the times. P.C. Cast consulted her daughter to help her write the speech to make it more like how teens at the time actually spoke. The series started releasing in 2007. Speech was cringe and insensitive, and political correctness was not as prevalent. If you look at the series with a modern eye, it’s easy to find it offensive. Keep in mind exactly what it is that you are reading. Some things don’t age well. I don’t deny the series has a lot of problems.

Content Warnings

-Death

-Insensitive Language

-Sexual Themes

-Inappropriate Conduct for a Teacher

-Bullying

Characters

Zoey is the main character. She’s sixteen, and her Cherokee heritage through her grandmother is integral to her powers and identity. At this point in the story, she is leader of the Dark Daughters, and a High Priestess in training. Zoey has a special relationship with the goddess Nyx to be her eyes and ears at the House of Night.

Stevie Rae is Zoey’s (dead) best friend from Henrietta, Oklahoma. She’s a true country girl with a love of country music, cowboy hats, and cowboy boots. Zoey considers her a “true Okie” because she speaks with a southern “twang.” Stevie Rae has an affinity for the element Earth.

Erin is a pretty blonde girl from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her best friend is her roommate Shaunee, because they are so similar in personality that they call each other twin. Erin has an affinity for the element water.

Shaunee is Erin’s roommate and best friend from Connecticut. She considers herself Erin’s spiritual twin. Shaunee has an affinity for the element fire.

Damien is the guy friend in the group. He’s from Dallas, Texas, has a sophisticated vocabulary, and is out as gay. Damien has an affinity for the element wind.

Jack is Damien’s boyfriend and Erik’s roommate. He transfers into the school in Betrayed and takes up the job of DJ for the Dark Daughters rituals.

Aphrodite is pretty, blonde, and gifted with disastrous visions of the future. She is the villain in Marked, but plays a much less evil part now as she is seeking redemption from Nyx.

Erik is Zoey’s new boyfriend. He’s about six feet tall and good at acting. Zoey describes his appearance as reminiscent of Superman with the hair curl. He’s also apparently the hottest guy at school. Absolutely everyone fawns over him.

Neferet is the High Priestess of the House of Night. She has beautiful red hair and green eyes, an affinity for cats, and a gift for healing. Neferet is also Zoey’s mentor, and she teaches Vampyre sociology class.

Loren Blake is a vampyre Poet Laureate. He’s in his early twenties, and he teaches the school poetry class.

Heath is Zoey’s ex-almost boyfriend from her life before the Change. He’s the star quarterback of the football team, and Zoey is having a hard time cutting him out of her life.

Sylvia Redbird is Zoey’s grandmother. She is the one person in the whole world whom Zoey loves more than anything. They don’t see each other often, but whenever they talk, it’s usually immense emotional support for Zoey.

Other people and cats appear in the story, but the people here are the most important.

Story & Thoughts

There is so much drama in this volume. Zoey has made good choices for the majority of the first two volumes, except for decisions that relate to her love life. Due to her bad judgement and inability to cut ties, she has three boyfriends, and two of them are not even supposed to be options for her. Dating seems to be her weakest area. She knows what she should and should not do, but whenever she tries to do the right thing, she lets the guys pull her around.

Regardless of who she does or does not choose, because I won’t say, I really think she should be with Erik. He is good for her, and what she feels for the other two is clearly various forms of lust. The whole time, I get the impression that he is who she truly wants.

Zoey makes some huge mistakes and her friends turn on her bafflingly easy. It’s incredibly frustrating to read their quarrels when Zoey doesn’t even get a chance to explain anything coherently. Her side of things matters. They don’t even give her the benefit of the doubt that she might have had good reason to keep some big information to herself.

It’s hard to feel like she can even trust the twins when they can be bribed spill her secrets. Granted, Zoey should have told them as much as she could as things were happening, while keeping the important bits secret. She’s proven she can do that, but chose to say nothing instead of at least something. The whole thing is a huge mess.

The way things play out, I suspect everything is a set up so Neferet will have excuses to do what she wants. The People of Faith are suspect, but the details don’t add up. If I’m right, I can’t expect Zoey to piece it together in her distraught state of mind.

I’m definitely hooked on this series. Things are a hot mess right now, but I can’t wait to see what happens next. Aphrodite is becoming one of my favorite characters and I don’t know why. She’s been hugely growing on me since volume two. I really hope the events of this book are not the end for her. That would be really sad. She has a lot of potential as a character and it feels like the story has barely scratched the surface of that.

Betrayed

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Betrayed by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Series Name: House of Night
Volume Number: 2
Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Urban, Vampires
Intended Age Group: YA
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-312-36028-3
Rating: 4.5/5
Amazon Barnes&Noble ThriftBooks

Description from the Book

Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night finishing school. She finally feels like she belongs, even gets chosen as the Leader of the Dark Daughters. Best of all, she actually has a boyfriend…or two. Then the unthinkable happens: Human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night. While danger stalks the humans from Zoey’s old life, she begins to realize that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves. Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night, and Zoey must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world.

Personal & Info

I reread Marked before starting this one since it’s been almost a year since I read it.

The shop links go to copies of the singular volume, but there are also box sets for the series. So, if you prefer to purchase your books in sets, you can easily find those on the same sites.

This series is definitely a result of the times. P.C. Cast consulted her daughter to help her write the speech to make it more like how teens at the time actually spoke. The series started releasing in 2007. Speech was cringe and insensitive, and political correctness was not as prevalent. If you look at the series with a modern eye, it’s easy to find it offensive. Keep in mind exactly what it is that you are reading. Some things don’t age well. I don’t deny the series has a lot of problems.

Content Warnings

-Teen deaths

-Insensitive language

-Sexual Themes

-Bullying

Characters

Zoey is the main character. She’s sixteen, and her Cherokee heritage through her grandmother is integral to her powers and identity. At this point in the story, she is leader of the Dark Daughters, and a High Priestess in training. Zoey has a special relationship with the goddess Nyx to be her eyes and ears at the House of Night.

Stevie Rae is Zoey’s roommate and best friend from Henrietta, Oklahoma. She’s a true country girl with a love of country music, cowboy hats, and cowboy boots. Zoey considers her a “true Okie” because she speaks with a southern “twang.”

Erin is a pretty blonde girl from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her best friend is her roommate Shaunee, because they are so similar in personality that they call each other twin.

Shaunee is Erin’s roommate and best friend from Connecticut. She considers herself Erin’s non-biological twin.

Damien is the guy friend in the group. He’s from Dallas, Texas, has a sophisticated vocabulary, and is out as gay.

Aphrodite is pretty, blonde, and gifted with disastrous visions of the future. She was the villain in the first book, but plays a much smaller, less evil, part in this one.

Erik is Zoey’s new unofficial boyfriend. He’s about six feet tall and good at acting. Zoey describes his appearance as reminding her of Superman with the hair curl. He’s also apparently the hottest guy at school. Absolutely everyone fawns over him.

Neferet is the High Priestess of the House of Night. She has beautiful red hair and green eyes, an affinity for cats, and a gift for healing. Neferet is also Zoey’s mentor, and she teaches Vampyre sociology class.

Loren Blake is a vampyre Poet Laureate. He’s in his early twenties, and he teaches the school poetry class.

Heath is Zoey’s ex-almost boyfriend from her life before the Change. He’s the star quarterback of the football team, and Zoey is having a hard time cutting him out of her life.

Detective Marx is a police detective investigating the disappearances of teenagers. I have a feeling he’ll be popping up again later in other volumes.

Sylvia Redbird is Zoey’s grandmother. She is the one person in the whole world whom Zoey loves more than anything. They don’t see each other often, but whenever they talk, it’s usually immense emotional support for Zoey.

Other people and cats appear in the story, but the people here are the most important.

Story & Thoughts

Betrayed has a lot of recap. I reread the first book, but it might not have even been necessary. All important or relevant events from the first volume get rehashed to remind the reader what happened. The reminders are all over the story, so for people reading the books consecutively, it’s probably annoying. For people who have a long gap between books, it’s probably helpful.

I already had some inklings about where the story was going to go, so a lot of things didn’t really surprise me. However, I still enjoyed the journey. The storytelling for this series is wonderful, and the characters are easy to relate and get attached to.

My biggest take away from this book is it made me cry. Something tragic happens. I saw it coming a mile away, but that didn’t make it any less sad.

The romance is getting really tangled. There are three love interests and it’s only the second volume. Zoey is breaking a ton of rules, whether accidental or on purpose. I have high hopes for a redemption arc for Aphrodite. In the mean time, based on how it ended, things are going to be very interesting.

Some Girls Bite

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Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill
Series Name: Chicagoland Vampires
Volume Number: 1
Genres: Fae, Magic, Romance, Shifters, Supernatural, Urban, Vampires, Witches
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: New American Library/ Penguin Group (USA)
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-451-22625-9
Rating: 3/5
Amazon Barnes&Noble ThriftBooks

Description from the Book

Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn’t exactly glamorous, but it was mine. I was doing fine until Chicago’s vampires announced their existence to the world—and then a rogue vampire attacked me. But he only got only a sip before he was scared away by another bloodsucker…and this one decided the best way to save my life was to make me the walking undead.

Turns out my savior was the master vampire of Cadodan House. Now I’ve traded sweating over my dissertation for learning to fit in at Kenwood mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan “Lord o’ the Manor” Sullivan. Of Course, as a tall, green-eyed, four-hundred-year-old vampire, he has centuries’ worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects my gratitude—and servitude. Right…

But my burgeoning powers (all of a sudden, I’m surprisingly handy with some serious weaponry), an inconvenient sunlight allergy, and Ethan’s attitude are the least of my concerns. Someone’s still out to get me. Is it the rogue vampire who bit me? A vamp from a rival house? An angry mob bearing torches?

My initiation into Chicago’s nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war…and there will be blood.

Personal & Info

If you like House of Night, you might like this series. House of Night is YA, but this one is more adultish, with kind of similar vibes. Or if you like Chicagoland Vampires and want to try a YA alternative, you might like House of Night. If you’d like more information about House of Night, I have a review for the first volume, Marked, and will be reviewing more volumes at some point.

Characters

Merit is the main character. She’s a twenty-seven-year-old grad student from a wealthy family, but she has no interest in her family’s money or influence. Apparently, she has terrible fashion sense, but I find her clothing choices relatable.

Mallory is Merit’s roommate and best friend. She inherited the house in which she and Merit live. Mallory is a successful advertising executive at McGettrick-Combs. More importantly, she’s a vampire buff.

Mark Perkins is Mallory’s aimless boyfriend. He goes on a lot of adventurous trips, but has no idea what he wants to do with his life.

Joshua Merit is Merit’s dad. He owns the Merit Properties real estate company, and he is part of the Chicago Growth Council, which advises the mayor. Joshua cares only about money and political influence.

Meredith Merit is Merits mom.

Charlotte Merit is Merit’s older sister. She is married, so she does not live with the Merit family.

Robert Merit is Merit’s older brother. He is in line to inherit the family real estate company.

Seth Tate is the mayor of Chicago.

Ombudsman’s Office

Chuck Merit is Merit’s grandfather, and the Ombudsman. He is a liaison between humans and supernaturals to help handle disputes.

Marjorie is Chuck’s secretary. She’s about fifty-years-old.

Jeff Christopher is a twenty-one-year-old computer prodigy and shape-shifter. He’s also a bit girl crazy.

Catcher Bell is a twenty-nine-year-old sorcerer. As Chuck puts it, he is pretty, but gruff.

Below is a list of the Chicago vampire Houses and any known members. Some vampires are named with no additional information. Not every vampire is likely to be important, so these are just running lists to keep track of members of each House.

Cadogan House

Ethan Sullivan is the Lord of Cadogan House. He is 394 years old, and he’s attractive in the most stereotypical ways. He is fit and has long blond hair, like Thor. However, his personality leaves much to be desired.

Helen is the Cadogan representative who handles transitions for newly changed vampires.

Malik is Ethan’s second in command. If anything happens to Ethan, Malik would inherit the House.

Amber is Ethan’s courtesan. She covers the role of the snobby pretty girl.

Sean & Colin are bartenders at Temple Bar.

Gabrielle is Amber’s snobby friend.

Security

Luc, or Lucas, is captain of the Cadogan House guards. He has cowboy vibes.

Lindsey is a Cadogan House guard. She is apparently the resident psychic, and fast friends with Merit.

Peter is a Cadogan House guard. He has contacts beneficial to the House.

Juliet is a Cadogan House guard. She is “slippery” and gathers data.

Kelley is a Cadogan House guard. She is the resident mechanical and software genius.

Initiates

Warner

Joseph

Adrian

Michael

Thomas

Connor obviously comes from a rich family, but he is optimistic and kind.

Penny

Jennifer

Dakota

Melanie

Christine is the daughter of a famous notorious criminal defense attorney. She is an acquaintance of Merit’s from pre-vampire life.

Grey House

Scott Grey is the Lord of Grey House. He is a sports fan.

Navarre House

Celina Desaulniers is the Lady of Navarre House. She orchestrated the coming out of vampires in Chicago.

Morgan is Celina’s second in command. If anything happens to Celina, he would inherit the House. He’s charming and funny.

Alexander

Rogue

The rogues are not and do not have a House. Instead, they have a representative, and work together when they have to.

Noah Beck is the representative for the Rogue vampires.

Story & Thoughts

As the first volume of a series, this book does a good job at many things. It introduces a large number of characters, not all of them significant, yet. The ones that matter seem well defined and realistic enough to believe they could actually exist. Their interactions have personality, so they don’t feel flat.

The most important thing about the characters, I think, is Merit is a strong female lead. She doesn’t always know what the best thing to do is, but she stays true to herself. She doesn’t let anyone boss her around or convince her to accept any sexist or outdated terms. Her own moral compass always comes first. I don’t come across many female leads like her, and I’d like to see more of them.

As expected, there are a lot of world building and lore dumping, but they’re all interesting. Despite what the description implies, vampires are not undead in this world. The lore is a little different than normal. The transition to become a vampire is more of a genetic alteration than an undeath. They only need blood about once every other day. They can still eat and drink normal food and beverages. Sunlight is still a weakness, or in this case, considered a deathly allergy. There’s actually a whole culture involved, and I think that’s pretty cool.

I like the book enough to read more of the series if I get the chance, but I won’t go out of my way to find more. I’m satisfied with the story and the ending. There isn’t a cliffhanger, so there’s no pressing need to get another volume.

The epilogue tries to do one of those stereotypical, end of an episode, ominous, “danger is coming, but I’ll be ready,” type things. I see what it’s going for, but I can’t help laughing at it. It’s not really a spoiler, but Merit finishes by saying she’s very, very good at her job. That’s just laughable to me. She’s been a vampire for, like, two weeks, and has hardly any training. I just can’t take that seriously, because she is not good at her job, not yet, anyway.

Marked

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Marked by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Series Name: House of Night
Volume Number: 1
Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Urban, Vampires
Intended Age Group: YA
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-312-36026-9
Rating: 4/5
Amazon Barnes&Noble ThriftBooks

Description from the Book

ENTER THE DARK, MAGICAL WORLD OF THE HOUSE OF NIGHT, a world very much like our own, except here vampyres have always existed. Sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird has just been Marked as a fledgling vampyre and joins the House of Night, a school where she will train to become an adult vampyre. That is, if she makes it through the Change – and not all those who are Marked do. It sucks to begin a new life, especially away from her friends, and on top of that, Zoey is no average fledgling. She has been chosen as special by the vampyre Goddess Nyx. Zoey discovers she has amazing powers, but along with her powers come bloodlust and an unfortunate ability to Imprint her human ex-boyfriend. To add to her stress, she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers: When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school’s most elite group, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny – with a little help from her new vampyre friends.

Personal & Info

I’m going into this without reading any descriptions. I’ve heard so many people praise the series. When I found a few volumes cheaply at my local store, I made sure to grab them. All I know going into it is that it has something to do with vampires.

The shop links go to copies of the singular volume, but there are also box sets for the series. So, if you prefer to purchase your books in sets, you can easily find those on the same sites.

Content Warnings

-Teen deaths

-Insensitive language (This book is from 2007 so characters throw around words like “retarded” due to that being the type of language used at the time the book was written.)

-Sexual themes (The story mentions things like blowjobs and erotic dancing.)

-Bullying (The gay character experiences bullying, and the mean girl character bullies everybody.)

Characters

Zoey Redbird, original last name Montgomery, is the sixteen year old main character. Her heritage is Cherokee on her mother’s side through her grandmother, Sylvia Redbird. She has an older sister and a younger brother, and she doesn’t like either of them.

Stevie Rae Johnson is Zoey’s roommate from Henrietta, Oklahoma. She’s a true country girl with a love of country music, cowboy hats, and cowboy boots. Zoey considers her a “true Okie” because she speaks with a southern “twang.”

Erin Bates is a pretty blonde girl from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her best friend is her roommate Shaunee, because they are extremely similar in personality and share a shoe size.

Shaunee Cole is Erin’s roommate from Connecticut. They are so similar in personality and interests that they call each other “Twin.”

Damien Maslin is the guy friend in the group. He’s from Dallas, Texas, has a sophisticated vocabulary, and faces bullying due to being gay.

Aphrodite is the mean girl of the story. She’s the “it girl.” She’s blonde, pretty, gifted, and prone to inappropriate behavior. Her three friend followers are Pemphredo, Enyo, and Deino. The main friend group refers to these four people as the “hags from hell.”

Erik Night is Zoey’s new crush. He’s about six feet tall, and good at acting. Zoey describes his appearance as reminding her of Superman with the hair curl. He’s also apparently the hottest guy at school. Absolutely everyone fawns over him.

Neferet is the High Priestess of the House of Night. She has beautiful red hair and green eyes, an affinity for cats, and a gift for healing. Neferet is also Zoey’s mentor, and she teaches Vampyre sociology class.

There are many more characters with names: Zoey’s friends and family from before, various teachers and other students, cats, etc.

Story & Thoughts

The story takes place in Oklahoma. Zoey attends school at Broken Arrow South Intermediate High School, but quickly ends up having to transfer to the House of Night finishing school in Tulsa. The book starts off with her getting marked as a fledgling vampyre, and vampyre fledglings can’t survive on their own.

Based on what I gather from her friends and family in the beginning, becoming a fledgling is the best thing that could have possibly happened to Zoey. Her family no longer feels like a family, so she’s unhappy at home, and her friends don’t seem like they are actually friends. Her best friend Kayla isn’t a very good friend, because she keeps important secrets from her. I’m not sure how much Zoey really likes her either, considering she calls Kayla’s speech “K-babble.” On top of that, Zoey’s almost boyfriend is the star athlete of the school, but he’s taken up drinking alcohol as if it were also a sport.

The friends Zoey makes at the House of Night seem way better than the people she previously surrounded herself with. Erin, Damien, Shaunee, and Stevie Rae already have a wonderful friendship. When Zoey gets to her new school and meets her roommate’s friend group, she experiences a warm welcome, and finds great friends in them. There’s a level of trust she has with this group that there’s no possible way she could have had with her previous friends.

I like this book. It’s really easy to get into and hooked me in the first few pages. The characters are well done. The way they speak and act feels more solidly real than a lot of other books. I was similar in age to the characters around the time this book was published, and I can tell effort was made to make it seem authentic. Granted, I did not speak the same way these teens do, but I am well aware that the “cool kids” did indeed speak in a similar manner to what is portrayed in this book. It’s a little annoying at first, because it means not everything is as grammatically correct as most books. But, once it gets going it feels natural.

Vampyre lore in this particular world is a little different than the usual. First and most obvious, their faces are marked with a crescent moon. Most adults have elaborate forehead decorations adorning the crescent. It’s easy to identify a vampyre on sight.

They don’t burn up in the sun. Sunlight is unpleasant to them, but it doesn’t kill them. They don’t have fangs. The change from human to vampyre is triggered by a special combination of genetics and hormones. And, the weirdest to me, they’re allied with cats. Most lore usually says cats hate the undead, but I guess these vampyres are not really undead, or at least it doesn’t seem like they are.

I also find it interesting most of the names and culture for vampyres involves Greek mythology. Many kids choose to have Greek names. Their Goddess is Nyx, and their sociology class talks about many of the roles vampyres play throughout history. The one that jumps at me the most is that the Amazons were all apparently vampyres. That one bothers me, because it mentions the disproven fact about them removing a breast.

This is a series I definitely intend to read more of. There are plenty of plot hooks to keep the draw. Something mysterious is going on at the school. Zoey’s uniqueness as a Cherokee fledgling is ongoing, and the book ends with a drop of more intrigue.

My only real problem with the story is so minor, it doesn’t even matter. I don’t keep up with celebrities, so I pretty much have no idea who any of the famous people are that the characters mention. A celebrity comparison is used to describe how Aphrodite looks, and I had to look up a picture to see who they were talking about. Aside from that, my only gripe is that the book wastes paper by always making chapters start on the right page. If a chapter ends on the right page, the back side of the paper is blank to make sure the chapter starts on the side they want.

The King (Black Dagger Brotherhood #12)

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The King by J.R. Ward
Series Name: Black Dagger Brotherhood
Genres: Contemporary, Erotica, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Urban, Vampires
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Berkley/Penguin
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-451-41706-0
Rating: 4/5
Amazon Barnes&Noble ThriftBooks

Description from the Book

After turning his back on the throne for centuries, Wrath finally assumed his father’s mantle – with the help of his beloved mate. But the crown sits heavily on his head. As the war with the Lessoning Society rages on, and the threat from the Band of Bastards truly hits home, he is forced to make choices that put everything – and everyone – at risk.

Beth Randall thought she knew what she was getting into when she mated the last pure-blooded vampire on the planet. But when she decides she wants a child, she’s unprepared for Wrath’s response – or the distance it creates between them.

The question is, will true love win out…or will Wrath’s tortured legacy take over?

Personal & Info

I need to find time to circle back to this series more often. Between the main series and the spin-offs, it’s long. I like reading it, and I still have a lot to get through. It just takes more time than my other books because these are around six hundred pages each. I shall strive to shorten my gap between volumes, but I promise nothing.

Characters

Wrath, the king, and Beth, his queen, are the lead couple for the book. This is the first book that readdresses a couple instead of focusing on one getting together for a happily ever after.

Wrath’s father, and his mate Anha are important backstory characters.

Assail, I don’t remember if his last name was ever said, is vampire nobility who chose to become a drug dealer. He doesn’t care what anybody does, as long as it does not interfere with his business.

Ehric and Evale are Assail’s cousins. They act as his assistants, bodyguards, and enforcers.

Sola Morte is the human woman who fascinates Assail. She specializes in things like thievery and breaking and entering.

Sola’s grandmother is also technically a character worth listing. She’s mostly referred to as Vovo, and I love her. I can’t find the words to explain why, but it involves how she interacts with people.

Trez is something they call a Shadow, and part of a civilization by the name of s’Hisbe. From the sounds of it, they are vampires with different abilities and rules from the norm. Trez runs the night clubs, and he is promised to a princess he wants nothing to do with. The previous book establishes his crush on Selena.

iAm is Trez’s brother. He owns a restaurant, and he cooks to relieve stress. We get to know his character a little better in this book, and I’m starting to like him.

Selena is a Chosen who regularly services the Brotherhood for their blood needs. She has a crush on Trez, as well as some issues she keeps to herself.

Layla is a Chosen carrying Qhuinn’s child. She is infatuated with Xcor, but does not let that affect her judgement for what is right.

Xcor is the leader of the Band of Bastards. He is infatuated with Layla, and causes problems for the Wrath and the Brotherhood.

Story & Thoughts

As per usual with this series, there’s a lot going on in this book. Every book in this series has a ton of perspectives and jumping around to various plot pieces. It can be a lot to follow, but I love it.

The main focus of the book is Wrath and Beth. Beth wants a baby, but Wrath does not. Drama ensues, and they have to deal with political nightmares at the same time. It’s nice to see Beth play a larger role in a book again. She’s been stuck in the background ever since she had her love story as the first book in the series.

There’s also a historical perspective. Not all of the books have this kind of perspective, but they are good for lore and background. This one specifically is about Wrath’s parents. You can sort of think of it as a short story. It takes place while Wrath’s mother, Anha, is pregnant with him, and essentially proves the politics never seem to change. Someone is always trying to take or manipulate the throne.

My favorite part of the side content is Assail and Sola’s story. Their romance was introduced in Lover at Last. I didn’t care for it when it came up back then, until the later parts in that book. However, I absolutely love it in this one.

The ground work has been set in the previous volume, so this book has all the juicy parts. Assail gets to show off his alpha male instincts as well as his sweeter side. Sola gets to show off how capable she is in a pinch. I love these two characters, and I think they make an excellent couple. I look forward to seeing where it goes, if it goes anywhere. Their section is likely not complete, yet. I just can’t see it ending like this. There has to be more.

The most important side content is probably Trez and Selena’s story. The next book in this series, volume 13, The Shadows, looks like it will be their novel. The ground work for that also began in Lover at Last. Qhuinn and Blay were the main focus of that book, though, so I didn’t think much of the introduction at the time.

The last perspective worth mentioning is Xcor and Layla. Their complicated Romeo and Juliet feelings for each other continue to be complicated. They don’t gain much traction here, but their story continues to build. I suspect they will eventually get their own book, but I don’t know for sure. I try not to look too far ahead, so I can avoid potential spoilers.

Something I think is worth mentioning, the lessers have been a very minor part of the story for the past several books. Lately the focus is on the internal vampire problems. I think the reason is because the lessers are struggling for cash, so they are busy focusing on drug dealing to rekindle their funding. We only seem to see the odd lesser here or there, either when the Band of Bastards takes them out, or someone stumbles across one on the street.

I feel like I’m forgetting something I want to say, but I can’t think of what it might be, so quick recap of my thoughts. It’s good to see more of Beth again. Vovo is awesome. I love Assail and Sola’s romance, but there has to be more. Selena is great, but her circumstances are unfortunate. Trez needs to get his life together. I don’t like how his downward spiral is turning into a different kind of downward spiral. iAm is growing on me. Layla and Xcor are complicated. I love this series. The characters and writing are so engaging and comfortable.

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, pregnancy problems(ex: miscarriages), drugs, kidnapping, sexual themes, rape, mutilation, torture, and violence.

Lover at Last (Black Dagger Brotherhood #11)

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Lover at Last by J.R. Ward
Series Name: Black Dagger Brotherhood
Genres: Contemporary, Erotica, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Urban, Vampires
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Berkley/Penguin
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-451-41880-7
Rating: 4/5
Amazon Barnes&Noble ThriftBooks

Description from the Book

Qhuinn, son of no one, is used to being on his own. Disavowed from his bloodline, shunned by the aristocracy, he has found and identity as a brutal fighter 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 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: It seems Qhuinn has found his perfect match in a Chosen female, and they are going to have a young. It’s hard for Blay to see the new couple together, but building your life around a pipe dream is just a heartbreak waiting to happen. And Qhuinn needs to come to terms with some dark things before he can move forward….

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 learns the true meaning of courage, and two hearts meant to be together finally become one.

Personal & Info

As with Lover Mine, this is a volume I was looking forward to reading. Lover mine was a smidge disappointing though, definitely not as good as I thought it would be. I think Qhuinn’s book is done better. Both have long buildups over several volumes, but I just think this one is all around better in comparison.

I have to give props for putting an M-M story in the middle of an M-F erotic romance series. And not pulling any punches at that. No scenes have any censoring in comparison to the content we see in all the other volumes. I imagine this volume might make some angry if they are not expecting it, or have an extreme disinterest in M-M romance.

Regarding crossover parts with the BDB and Fallen Angels series, there is a mention in this volume. Back in a different book, when Assail makes his first appearance, the description of his home gives pause to wonder, but it is confirmed now. He lives in the house Vin DiPietro builds in volume one, Covet. He gets a mention in this book.

Characters

Qhuinn is essentially the main character for this volume.

Blay is important, because this is his and Qhuinn’s book, but he doesn’t get nearly as much screen time.

Layla gets a lot of attention, because of her arrangement with Qhuinn.

As minor characters for the volume, there are Tez and Assail. I don’t really care about the parts pertaining to Tez. I’m sure that will amount to something later, but in this book, all I care about is the romance. I don’t care about the Assail parts, either, at least not until the later parts. They seem irrelevant early on, and get more interesting toward the end.

Story & Thoughts

Upon finishing Lover Reborn, Qhuinn seems to have a strong resolve to make a move with Blay. That got me excited to read this volume. Fast forward to starting the book, and I find it surprising Qhuinn seems to have lost that motivation, and is instead rather unchanged from the previous book. This, I think, throws off the pacing.

I also think that Blay, as the love interest, has less screen time than the love interests usually get in the series. Things focus primarily on Qhuinn, and what goes on in his mind, and his life. He’s the one experiencing all the big changes, good and bad.

I both love and hate this volume, though. So many of the problems between Qhuinn and Blay could be easily resolved if they would just talk to each other honestly. Blay makes so many assumptions about Qhuinn’s life and doesn’t believe him when he tells the truth. And Blay chooses to live behind a lie of omission, which just makes things harder for Qhuinn, because he’s trying to respect something that doesn’t exist. So frustrating, but dang this is a good volume.

Aside from the primary couple of the book, I’m constantly drawn to the Layla x Xcor parts of the story. It’s like a variation of Romeo and Juliet, minus the suicide. I’m curious to see what happens. If they’ll ever be together, or if their relationship will end in tragedy. It’s already pretty tragic. They are unlucky to be drawn to each other.

Notable Issues

Why does Payne have to “recharge” but V doesn’t?

When Blay needs to feed, I swear his conversation with Qhuinn says he will do it alone, but when it actually happens Qhuinn goes with anyway. Did I misinterpret? Is this a mistake? Blay acts like he agreed to share all along, but that isn’t the context I see in that section.

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.

Rapture (Fallen Angels #4)

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Rapture by J.R. Ward
Series Name: Fallen Angels
Genres: Angels, Contemporary, Demons, Erotica, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Urban
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Signet/Penguin Group (USA)
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-451-41479-3
Rating: 3.5/5
Amazon Barnes & Noble ThriftBooks

Description from the Book

Mels Carmichael, reporter for the Caldwell Courier Journal, gets the shock of her life when a man stumbles in front of her car outside the local cemetery. After the accident, his amnesia is just the kind of mystery she likes to solve, but she soon discovers they’re in over their heads with his past. Over their heads with passion too. As shadows walk the line between reality and another realm, and her lover’s memory begins to come back, the two of them learn that nothing is truly dead and buried. Especially when you’re trapped in a no-holds-barred war between angels and demons. With a soul on the line, and Mels’s heart at risk, what in Heaven – or in Hell- will it take to save them both?

Personal & Info

This is the most recent volume in this series I’ve read. After this one, the reviews will be posted as I read them, so the content will be more fresh in my mind. I believe I finished this one in July, so it’s not that far back.

Reminder, I’m reading these in tandem with the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by publication date, because that is recommended. They will be shelved this way in the index.

I’m keeping an eye out for any cross-overs with the Black Dagger Brotherhood, and there are a variety of things in this one. They are mostly small nods toward people and events. These are the ones I noticed:
-The farmhouse massacre is mentioned.
-Beth is mentioned at her previous work place.
-There is a brief implication of the Band of Bastards walking down the street.

Characters

Jim Heron, as usual.

Matthias is the soul to save. This is not a spoiler, because the context is intended to be vague, but the story heavily hints at him, and you learn fast who it is.

Mels is the love interest.

Adrian, Jim’s only angel assistant. If you’re wondering where Eddie is, you shouldn’t be here. Go read Envy, or whatever other volume you’re at. Adrian has a lot of character growth over this book and the couple before it. I didn’t like him in volume one, but now I think he is potentially my favorite character in this series.

Devina, also as usual.

Story & Thoughts

My thoughts at the start: I am not fond of Matthias. I can’t bring myself to care. I don’t think I will like this volume.

This is the kind of book I have to read slowly, one or two chapters at a time. Initially, I don’t like Matthias, so my prediction is I won’t like the story. I go into this expecting disappointment, and planning to read through it just to be able to get to the next book.

In the end, I find myself pleasantly surprised. As the story goes on, I get more sucked into it, and I grow to like Matthias. I didn’t think I’d ever like his character.

Story-wise, I think Matthias has an unfair advantage. He can remember what it is like to be in Devina’s wall, so he knows what awaits him if he doesn’t change and make the right choices. I suppose it’s not completely unfair, though, because Devina, knows him well, and knows how to manipulate him.

For a brief time, I thought Matthias might join the war. They have bounced around the idea of recruiting before, and his actions made me think, maybe.

I can’t say I agree with Jim’s final decision of the volume. It’s reckless and risky, but it could very well get rid of his primary distraction to make the rest of the game easier. Only time will tell if this is a wise choice.

There are some significant reveals, especially toward the end. We learn more about the mysterious creator.

Both this book and Lover Reborn address the after life. If you read them by publication, they are next to each other, and both point out that everyone’s afterlife, or hell, looks different. You can draw your own conclusions on what that means. I find it interesting they have the same theme and similar timing.

Trigger Warnings

Sexual themes and violence are the main ones for this series. Maybe torture, too. I can’t remember if there are others.

Lover Reborn (Black Dagger Brotherhood #10)

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Lover Reborn by J.R. Ward
Series Name: Black Dagger Brotherhood
Genres: Contemporary, Erotica, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Urban, Vampires
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Berkley/Penguin
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-451-23828-3
Rating: 3.5/5
Amazon Barnes & Noble ThriftBooks

Description from the Book

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 vies for the Blind King’s throne, Torh struggles between an unforgettable past and a hot, passion-filled future. But can his heart let go and set all of them free?

Personal & Info

This is the most recent volume in this series I’ve read. After this one, the reviews will be posted as I read them, so the content will be more fresh in my mind. This one isn’t exactly fresh, but it is the freshest. I read it in May of this year, so the gap is only a few months, as opposed to being a year ago, like most of them were.

Qhuinn’s book is next, and I’m super excited to read that. I’ve been putting it off until I get caught up with these reviews for the previous volumes.

Characters

Tohr is the main character for this book. This is the first time in a while he is getting any solid attention. I’m actually surprised his book is occurring this soon.

Lassiter is important here, because he is guiding Tohr.

No’One, also known as Autumn, is Xhex’s mother, and the love interest. I will be referring to her as Autumn, because that’s a little less confusing.

John and Xhex experience some growing pains in their relationship now that they actually have a relationship.

Qhuinn and Blay’s plot building sections come to a head. Qhuinn’s book is next, and I’m excited to read it.

The Band of Bastards gains more significance as they plot. The BDB might have two enemy factions to contend with from here on out.

Story & Thoughts

I don’t agree with the premise for this one. Being forced to move on and stop grieving because your dead loved ones are essentially hostages with a time limit and it’s all your fault, I hate that. I mean, I get it if it’s because last rights haven’t been carried out, because that’s a common thing in multiple religions, but that’s not the case here. There are multiple criteria to be met to “free” them.

None of it is fair to Autumn. It’s like Tohr uses her and insults her throughout most of the book. Forcing a relationship on them that they are not ready for does not make for good story, nor does it make for a healthy relationship. We see Tohr’s less flattering sides often in this volume.

John and Xhex get a lot of attention here. It’s almost as much their book as it is Tohr’s. They have their first real fight as a couple, and it’s ridiculously blown out of proportion due to stubbornness on both sides. I think they are both wrong, but Xhex isn’t willing to so much as try to understand where John is coming from. Everything has to be her way or the highway, and that’s not how a relationship should be.

Regardless of those two things, I like the story. A significant amount of important plot things happen aside from Tohr’s romance. The book doesn’t feel bogged down by any perspective for too long.

If you are reading these in tandem with the Fallen Angel series, like I am, you are likely aware how angels like Lassiter function by now. However, I think this is the first time it’s stated that they are essentially solar powered in some ways. It’s definitely wise to read both to have a solid grasp on them as a species, if species is even the right word.

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.

Envy (Fallen Angels #3)

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Envy by J.R. Ward
Series Name: Fallen Angels
Genres: Angels, Contemporary, Demons, Erotica, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Urban
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Signet/Penguin Group (USA)
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-451-22945-8
Rating: 3.5/5
Amazon Barnes & Noble ThriftBooks

Description from the Book

As the son of a serial killer, homicide detective Thomas “Veck” DelVeccio, Jr., grew up in the shadow of evil. Now, on the knife-edge between civic duty and blind retribution, he atones for the sins of his father – while fighting his inner demons. Assigned to monitor Veck is Internal Affairs officer Sophia Reilly, whose interest in him is both professional and arousingly personal. And Veck and Sophia have another link: Jim Heron, a mysterious stranger with too many answers…to questions that are deadly. When Veck and Sophia are drawn into the ultimate battle between good and evil, their fallen angel savior is the only thing that stands between them and eternal damnation.

Personal & Info

I’m giving this book a small rating boost to be fair, since my reading frequency of it was erratic, so it took me longer to finish than normal. It’s nothing against the book, just life stuff getting in the way. It holds my attention just fine.

Reminder, I’m reading these in tandem with the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by publication date, because that’s what was recommended to me. They will be shelved this way in the index. I’m glad I’m reading them this way, because Veck is actually introduced in Lover Unleashed (#9). Envy picks up literally right where that book leaves off with Veck.

Characters

Jim Heron is obviously in every book since he’s the main character.

Veck is the soul to be saved.

Sophia Reilly is the love interest.

Adrian and Eddie retain their roles as Jim’s angel assistants here, as with the previous books.

Devina, obviously important since she is Jim’s rival.

Story & Thoughts

I like reading about Veck. He’s similar to Butch (from the BDB) in that he is a loose cannon cop, but they also have their differences. Veck’s father is an incarcerated serial killer, and he is terrified of becoming like him. He’s terrified that he might so much as have the potential to be like him.

Jim’s group seems to do very little. They appear to be trying different approaches. In this book, nobody is even sure Jim is real. I guess you could say he plays up the angel aspect of things. He leaves no footprints and doesn’t seem to exist. They have a history of good results when they are more involved in things, so I find this approach surprising.

I don’t agree with how the romance plays out. It feels forced to me. Veck and Sophia constantly say, “we won’t do this,” and almost immediately do exactly that. It seems more like lust and lack of self control than anything. I don’t like how easily manipulated Sophia is, either. It’s like she is looking for a reason the whole time.

Get ready for some heartbreak. Something tragic happens in this volume.

Overall, I like the story, and I’m curious to see if it’s going to affect anything in the BDB series since Veck first appeared there. It probably won’t, but you never know.

Trigger Warnings

Sexual themes and violence are the main ones for this series. Maybe torture, too. I can’t remember if there are others.

Lover Unleashed (Black Dagger Brotherhood #9)

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Lover Unleashed 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: 978-0-451-23511-4
Rating: 3/5
Amazon Barnes & Noble ThriftBooks

Description from the Book

A fighter by nature, a maverick when it comes to the traditional role of the Chosen female, Payne is cut from the same warrior cloth as her brother. And that’s before human surgeon Dr. Manuel Manello gets sucked into her dangerous world. Although he’s never believed in things that go bump in the night – like vampires – he’s more than willing to be seduced by the powerful female who marks him as her own. But as the two find so much more than an erotic connection, the human and the vampire worlds collide…just as a centuries-old score catches up with Payne and puts both her love and her life in deadly jeopardy.

Personal & Info

Based on my rating, this is one of the worst volumes I’ve encountered in the series. It’s a three, and yes, that’s not bad, but this one is a low three. Like, teetering on the edge of a high two.

I do think I should warn you, if you don’t like super corny plot devices, you might not like this volume. This book uses sex as a type of magical solution. It’s an erotica, so it doesn’t matter to me, but I know that kind of corny nonsense annoys some people.

Characters

Payne was introduced in the previous book, and she is the female lead in this one. I have a problem with how she is portrayed, though. She is built up to sound like a tough girl, as strong as any male, whom loves to fight. This book does not do her justice in my opinion.

Manny Manello is a surgeon, and the love interest for this volume. If his name sounds familiar, it’s because he used to work with Jane.

Vishous is significant in this one because Payne is his sister, so insert all overly protective brother tropes.

Jane is also significant here, because she and Manny are doctors, and Vishous plays a big part. This book is about as much about Jane and V as it is Payne and Manny.

Qhuinn and Blay’s stories get a little bit of attention here. They’re still building up for later.

Story & Thoughts

This book focuses more on relationships and interactions with the characters instead of combat or anything with the lessers. It seems like there’s been a long break from them. There were a couple “small” encounters with them in this, but that was about it, not nearly as much as in previous books. It’s actually a little baffling after a majority of books so far contained a lot of content involving the forelessers’ perspectives.

I don’t care much for all the Vishous and Jane drama in the first half of the book. I couldn’t wait for those sections to be over so I could get to the other characters. That same drama gets better in the second half, though. The resolution of it is the best part of that section.

I like the Manny and Payne sections, but at the same time they feel like nothing was really happening. The big issue concerning Payne builds up from the prologue and feels anticlimactic resulting in pretty much nothing. I don’t think they get enough screen time in their own book. The conclusion of their story also leaves me wanting. I feel like it was missing something

A new group of vampires is introduced in this volume as part of Payne’s past and comes to find her in the present. I’m not sure how I feel about them, yet.

I find it odd the entire book says Payne has eyes like diamonds, but the prologue says they are violet. That doesn’t make any sense.

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.