Lover Unbound - J.R. Ward

Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Form: Book
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood

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 destiny he didn't choose takes him into a future that cannot include her...

Lover Unbound is probably my 3rd favorite dagger book, after Lover Awakened and Dark Lover. I really enjoy the backstories on the Brotherhood a lot. And in this book's case, I actually liked the side stories (John, Phury) more than the main story itself. I expecially like seeing Zsadist come out even more in this book. He IS my favorite brother afterall. Some things I did like about Vishous' story included his release of Butch, and even more so Butch's explination about how his attraction to him was more about caring for someone other than himself for the first time rather than love.

What I didn't like was how Jane came back in the end. Oh, I wanted her back of course - but the how it was done was a little wonky to me. Didn't really sit well with my "oh yeah, that could happen," imagination.

Natural Born Charmer - Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Genre: Adult Romance
Form: Audio Book

Chicago Stars quarterback Dean Robillard is the luckiest man in the world. But life in the glory lane has started to pale, and Dean has set off on a cross-country trip to figure out what's gone wrong. When he hits a lonely stretch of Colorado highway, he spies something that will shake up his gilded life in ways he can't imagine. A young woman . . . dressed in a beaver suit.
Blue Bailey is on a mission. As for the beaver suit she's wearing . . . Is it her fault that life keeps throwing her curve balls? Witness the expensive black sports car pulling up next to her on the highway and the Greek god stepping out of it.
They're soon heading for his summer home, where their already complicated lives and inconvenient attraction to each other will become entangled with a charismatic but aging rock star; a beautiful, fifty-two-year-old woman trying to make peace with her rock and roll past; an eleven-year-old who desperately needs a family; and a bitter old woman who hates them all.
Natural Born Charmer . . . for anyone who's ever thought about leaving their old life in the dust and never looking back. Susan Elizabeth Phillips takes us home again . . . and shows us where love truly lives.

I LOVED this book! It was fun to listen to, very funny and clever. The characters were a perfect mix. Blue's humor collided well with Dean's. Their interactions with each other are probably the best I've seen in a long time. I like Dean's parents as well.

I think my favorite part of the book is Blue's sarcasm throughout the entire book. I laughed out loud many times throughout the book because of it.

Lover Revealed - J.R. Ward

Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Form: Book
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood

Butch O'Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard-living ex-homicide cop, he's the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world-to engage in the turf war with the lessers. He's got nothing to lose. His heart belongs to a female vampire, an aristocratic beauty who's way out of his league. If he can't have Marissa, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers...

Fate Curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, he's found by a miracle, and the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back. But even her love may not be enough to save him...

Another book down on my newest obsession. I am in love with this series. I love the action - but I've said that before, haven't it? Butch is such a great guy! Even before his big "revelation" he is totally on board with the BDB and their mission. He loves these boys like they are his family - and I think it's awesome. I'm doing my best here, not to give away the book, but I will say that I wish there was a little bit more foreshadowing of Butch's fate, I think that would have tied the book in a bit better. Just an opinion though.

Marissa, on the other hand, I wasn't digging her to much. She was all lust and lacked understanding. I wish she would have opened up to what was going on and stopped being so selfish. She didn't want to loose Butch, but geez - was the guy suppose to sit around and continue to corrode his liver for his entire life? He needed a purpose, a job - and when he finally got one, instead of being a supportive, loving gal - she decided to walk out. Not cool in my book. So far, I think she is my least favorite of the females. But I DO like her new initiative of having a Vampire social services type deal. That's awesome, and I hope plays more of a role in the books to come.

Lover Awakened - J. R. Ward

Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Form: Book
Series: 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 vengence against Bella's tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past and find a future with her....

This is my favorite BDB so far! Zsadist is a sheep on wolves's clothing running witless from love, attention or even interaction with anyone. I loved his transition from scared out of his mind to personable vampire. J.R. Ward is doing a wonderful job with this series, the story line keeps moving. I'm already excited to start the next book in the series, because I can't wait to find out what happens to Butch.

My favorite part of this book is without a doubt Zsadist's first kiss. I swear I could feel the emotion radiating off Zsadist and out of the book at the sensation of this intimate touch.

Lover Eternal - J.R. Ward

Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Form: Book
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood

Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetites. He's the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover - for inside him burns a ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin. Owned by this dark side, Rhage fears the times when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him.

Mary Luce, a survivor of many hardships, is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world and reliant on Rhage's protection. With a life-threatening curse of her own, Mary is not looking for love. She lost her faith in miracles years ago. But when Rhage's intense animal attraction turns into something more emotional, he knows that he must make Mary his alone. And while their enemies close in, Mary fights desperately to gain life eternal with the one she loves...

I must say I'm hooked on another series. I really do love it when a series wraps you up into not only the life of the main characters of that particular book, but interweave the stories together so that they capture your attention, making it somewhat impossible to just read one. Well, as long as they are good books that is.

Lover Eternal was a great story. I really enjoyed how J.D Ward causes the two characters strengths and weaknesses to compliment each other, sort of how that happens in real life...except the whole vampire thing of course. Some of the better parts include how Rhage stands up for his feeling and for Mary despite the rules against humans. Part and particle to the story, I like how she is bringing out Butch as a character, in the end he starts taking control and pushing out instructions. Part of me is thinking, 'what right does he have doing that,' where the other part is saying, 'This is who he is. This is what he does.' I'm very interested in all the brothers, and their stories - but I'm also looking forward to seeing Butch and even the new warrior, John, in the books to come.

I still have a hard time with the names of the Brothers. On one hand I like it, they are warriors, they are dangerous. On the other hand I'm thinking it's over the top. Not only that, but what person (human) in their right mind would trust someone called "Wrath,' or "Rhage?" And the spellings, making them more name-like, yet still reminds me of people who use special spellings to make their baby names different. But the books are good enough that it's something I definitely can live with.