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Black Dagger Brotherhood #20
Lover Arisen
True love brings a deadly threat to the Black Dagger Brotherhood in this sizzling new novel in J.R. Ward’s #1 New York Times bestselling series.
Possessed by the demon Devina, Balthazar is once again on the hunt for the Book of Spells—and fighting an undeniable attraction to a woman. As a thief, he has stolen a lot of things…but he never thought his heart would be taken by another. Especially not a human.
As a homicide detective, Erika Saunders knows there is something otherworldly going on in Caldwell, New York. Mutilated bodies that cannot be explained are all over her case list—and then there are her nightmares in which she’s hunted by shadows and captivated by a mysterious man who is both a suspect and a savior.
When Devina’s wish for true love is finally granted, Balthazar and Erika unwittingly become the gateway for the rebirth of an old enemy of the Brothers. Will the very thing that brings them together lead to the ultimate destruction of the Brotherhood? Or will they have to lose everything in order to save the race’s most sacred defenders?
Possessed by the demon Devina, Balthazar is once again on the hunt for the Book of Spells—and fighting an undeniable attraction to a woman. As a thief, he has stolen a lot of things…but he never thought his heart would be taken by another. Especially not a human.
As a homicide detective, Erika Saunders knows there is something otherworldly going on in Caldwell, New York. Mutilated bodies that cannot be explained are all over her case list—and then there are her nightmares in which she’s hunted by shadows and captivated by a mysterious man who is both a suspect and a savior.
When Devina’s wish for true love is finally granted, Balthazar and Erika unwittingly become the gateway for the rebirth of an old enemy of the Brothers. Will the very thing that brings them together lead to the ultimate destruction of the Brotherhood? Or will they have to lose everything in order to save the race’s most sacred defenders?
477 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 5, 2022
About the author
J.R. Ward
211 books50.5k followersJ.R. Ward is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels, including the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. She lives in the South her family.
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May 8, 2022
I can never get enough of this series, of these absolutely riveting books that are full of everything a girl could ever want - well this girl at least!!!
The Black Dagger Brotherhood are my absolute favourite vampires and the world they live in suits them down to the ground! There is nothing in these books for me to dislike.
Every time Ms Ward introduces the next story and I open that first page I find myself sighing. There is no place I'd rather be than lost in the world of the brothers. This story is no different, the feels, the tears, the excitement, the laughter and then the mystery of what the hell is going to happen next... definitely my Go To Books that I'd read to the ends of the earth.... and like the ending of every other book in this series, I can't wait for the next one!!!
The Black Dagger Brotherhood are my absolute favourite vampires and the world they live in suits them down to the ground! There is nothing in these books for me to dislike.
Every time Ms Ward introduces the next story and I open that first page I find myself sighing. There is no place I'd rather be than lost in the world of the brothers. This story is no different, the feels, the tears, the excitement, the laughter and then the mystery of what the hell is going to happen next... definitely my Go To Books that I'd read to the ends of the earth.... and like the ending of every other book in this series, I can't wait for the next one!!!
April 6, 2022
AFTER READING:
SPOILERS AHEAD, BE WARNED!
This book was a good ensemble cast book and a very mediocre main pairing book. Erika was a really interesting lead with so much backstory which was revealed only at the end. Balthazar on the other hand was a carbon copy of her heroes. So, he is 300 years old and we don't get any kind of his backstory. How did he end with Band of Bastards? Who his family is? His relationships with other Bastards? Nothing.
The latter was what bugged me the most. Dialogue Balthazar had with other Bastards was almost non-existent. But Ward, of course, made a situation where V could be present and be the one with whom Balthazar has conversations. Honestly, V needs to take a seat at least for one fucking book. Here, with all of the evil awakening, his presence semi-made sense. But also, it would be also very believable if Payne was the one who was present in this book. You remember Payne, right? Ward does not.
Rhavyn was the saving grace of this book and I love her. She is such a powerful female character that this book needed for a long time. She is even more powerful than the Scribe Virgin was and that speaks volumes. In this book, it was hinted by her that she is not in fact the elusive Gift of Light - hope this gets explained in the next book. Speaking of Lassiter, I just can't. So Ward decided to make him a virgin, and then to make him sacrifice his virginity to Devina, and for what? Actually nothing. It was Phury all over again. I was so angry.
Speaking of Devina, she was just what the villain was supposed to be - highly delusional and absolutely irredeemable at the same time. Devina was exactly that. What I did not like was the reincarnation of Lash. I knew that this was going to happen, but he has not reincarnated like John Matthew or Therese was. He was resurrected. With all of his memories intact. What this basically means, is that he is the same shit he was before. Honestly, I was hoping that he is going to be reincarnated and given another chance at life with Devina being obsessed with him and him trying to avoid her - practically a new Jim Heron character.
Nate is a sweet character and his friend Shuli was a nice refreshment too. Nate died in this book, and Rhavyn made him immortal just like she did to Shavage. We still do not know the repercussions of this kind of act, though.
There was this passing comment from Lassiter that Rhavyn saved him a long time ago. And the only female character from the past with whom Lassiter had any connection was Throe's sister if I remember correctly. Could this be connected in a way? Btw. Throe was mentioned by Devina and he is still a prisoner in Devina's well. He will probably be saved at some point.
And at the end of the book, Erika was not granted any kind of immortality like Mary, Jane or Sarah were. So she is in the same situation as Sola and Manny, mated to a vampire but being a human still. Even though, Manny does not count, because Payne keeps him healthy. But who knows?
This book just made me really REALLY unsatisfied.
AFTER THE BURB RELEASE:
Devina's wish for true love? Rebirth of an old enemy of the Brothers? LASH IS BACK!!! And he is going to be reincarnated, which means that there is a chance that he is going to be a completely different person!
Can you imagine the chaos he and Devina are going to cause?
BEFORE RELEASE:
If this book is about another two characters we have not previously met I will lose it...
Black Dagger Brotherhood, Legacy, Prison Camp, Lair of the Wolven & Fallen Angels series reading order:
- novella
+ Fallen Angels novel
= Black Dagger Legacy novel
# Black Dagger Brotherhood: Prison Camp novel
$ Lair of the Wolven novel
Dark Lover (BDB #1) [Wrath & Beth Pt. 1]
Lover Eternal (BDB #2) [Rhage & Mary Pt. 1]
Lover Awakened (BDB #3) [Zsadist & Bella Pt. 1; Butch & Marissa Pt. 1]
Lover Revealed (BDB #4) [Butch & Marissa Pt. 2; Vishous Pt. 1]
Lover Unbound (BDB #5) [Vishous & Jane Pt. 1]
Lover Enshrined (BDB #6) [Phury & Cormia; Qhuinn & Blay Pt. 1]
- Father Mine (BDB #6.5) [Zsadist & Bella Pt. 2]
- The Story of Son (BDB #6.6)
Lover Avenged (BDB #7) [Rehvenge & Ehlena; Wrath Pt. 1]
+ Covet (Fallen Angels #1) [Devina Pt. 1]
Lover Mine (BDB #8) [John Matthew & Xhex Pt. 1; Tohrment & No'One Pt. 1]
+ Crave (Fallen Angels #2) [Devina Pt. 2]
Lover Unleashed (BDB #9) [Payne & Manny; Visous & Jane Pt. 2; Xcor Pt. 1]
+ Envy (Fallen Angels #3) [Devina Pt. 3]
Lover Reborn (BDB #10) [Tohrment & No'One/Autumn Pt. 2; John Matthew & Xhex Pt. 2; Qhuinn & Blay Pt. 2; Xcor & Layla Pt. 1]
+ Rapture (Fallen Angels #4) [Devina Pt. 4]
Lover at Last (BDB #11) [Qhuinn & Blay Pt. 3; Xcor & Layla Pt. 2; Trez & Selena Pt. 1; Assail & Sola Pt. 1]
+ Possession (Fallen Angels #5) [Devina Pt. 5]
The King (BDB #12) [Wrath & Beth Pt. 2; Trez & Selena Pt. 2; Xcor & Layla Pt. 3; Assail & Sola Pt. 2]
+ Immortal (Fallen Angels #6) [Devina Pt. 6]
The Shadows (BDB #13) [iAm & Catra; Trez & Selena Pt. 3; Xcor & Layla Pt. 4; Assail Pt. 1]
= Blood Kiss (Legacy #1) [Paradise & Craeg; Butch & Marissa Pt. 3]
The Beast (BDB #14) [Rhage & Mary Pt. 2; Xcor & Layla Pt. 5; Assail Pt. 2; Jo Pt. 1]
= Blood Vow (Legacy #2) [Axe & Elise; Rhage & Mary Pt. 3]
The Chosen (BDB #15) [Xcor & Layla Pt. 6; Qhuinn & Blay Pt. 4; Trez & Tres/Selena Pt. 4; Vishous Pt. 2]
= Blood Fury (Legacy #3) [Peyton & Novo; Saxton & Ruhn]
- Dearest Ivie (BDB# 15.5)
The Thief (BDB #16) [Assail & Sola Pt. 3; Vishous & Jane Pt. 3, Jo Pt. 2]
- Prisoner of Night (BDB 16.5)
The Savior (BDB #17) [Murhder & Sarah; JM & Xhex Pt. 3]
= Blood Truth (Legacy #4) [Boone & Helania; Syn; Butch Pt. 1]
- Where Winter Finds You: A Caldwell Christmas (BDB #17.5) [Trez & Tres/Selena Pt. 5]
The Sinner (BDB #18) [Jo & Syn, Butch Pt. 2; Devina Pt. 7]
# The Jackal (Prison Camp #1) [Jackal & Nyx; Rhage Pt. 1]
- A Warm Heart in Winter (BDB #18.5) [Qhuinn & Blay Pt. 5]
Lover Unveiled (BDB #19) [Sahvage & Mae; Balthazar & Erika Pt. 1; Lassiter & Rhavyn Pt.1; Devina Pt. 8; Nate Pt. 1]
$ Claimed (LotW #1) [Daniel Joseph & Lydia Pt. 1, JM & Xhex Pt. 4]
# The Wolf (Prison Camp #2) [Lucan & Rio, Vishous Pt. 3]
Lover Arisen (BDB #20) [Balthazar & Erika Pt. 2, Lassiter & Rhavyn Pt. 2; Devina & Lash Pt. 1; Nate Pt. 2]
SPOILERS AHEAD, BE WARNED!
This book was a good ensemble cast book and a very mediocre main pairing book. Erika was a really interesting lead with so much backstory which was revealed only at the end. Balthazar on the other hand was a carbon copy of her heroes. So, he is 300 years old and we don't get any kind of his backstory. How did he end with Band of Bastards? Who his family is? His relationships with other Bastards? Nothing.
The latter was what bugged me the most. Dialogue Balthazar had with other Bastards was almost non-existent. But Ward, of course, made a situation where V could be present and be the one with whom Balthazar has conversations. Honestly, V needs to take a seat at least for one fucking book. Here, with all of the evil awakening, his presence semi-made sense. But also, it would be also very believable if Payne was the one who was present in this book. You remember Payne, right? Ward does not.
Rhavyn was the saving grace of this book and I love her. She is such a powerful female character that this book needed for a long time. She is even more powerful than the Scribe Virgin was and that speaks volumes. In this book, it was hinted by her that she is not in fact the elusive Gift of Light - hope this gets explained in the next book. Speaking of Lassiter, I just can't. So Ward decided to make him a virgin, and then to make him sacrifice his virginity to Devina, and for what? Actually nothing. It was Phury all over again. I was so angry.
Speaking of Devina, she was just what the villain was supposed to be - highly delusional and absolutely irredeemable at the same time. Devina was exactly that. What I did not like was the reincarnation of Lash. I knew that this was going to happen, but he has not reincarnated like John Matthew or Therese was. He was resurrected. With all of his memories intact. What this basically means, is that he is the same shit he was before. Honestly, I was hoping that he is going to be reincarnated and given another chance at life with Devina being obsessed with him and him trying to avoid her - practically a new Jim Heron character.
Nate is a sweet character and his friend Shuli was a nice refreshment too. Nate died in this book, and Rhavyn made him immortal just like she did to Shavage. We still do not know the repercussions of this kind of act, though.
There was this passing comment from Lassiter that Rhavyn saved him a long time ago. And the only female character from the past with whom Lassiter had any connection was Throe's sister if I remember correctly. Could this be connected in a way? Btw. Throe was mentioned by Devina and he is still a prisoner in Devina's well. He will probably be saved at some point.
And at the end of the book, Erika was not granted any kind of immortality like Mary, Jane or Sarah were. So she is in the same situation as Sola and Manny, mated to a vampire but being a human still. Even though, Manny does not count, because Payne keeps him healthy. But who knows?
This book just made me really REALLY unsatisfied.
AFTER THE BURB RELEASE:
Devina's wish for true love? Rebirth of an old enemy of the Brothers? LASH IS BACK!!! And he is going to be reincarnated, which means that there is a chance that he is going to be a completely different person!
Can you imagine the chaos he and Devina are going to cause?
BEFORE RELEASE:
If this book is about another two characters we have not previously met I will lose it...
Black Dagger Brotherhood, Legacy, Prison Camp, Lair of the Wolven & Fallen Angels series reading order:
- novella
+ Fallen Angels novel
= Black Dagger Legacy novel
# Black Dagger Brotherhood: Prison Camp novel
$ Lair of the Wolven novel
Dark Lover (BDB #1) [Wrath & Beth Pt. 1]
Lover Eternal (BDB #2) [Rhage & Mary Pt. 1]
Lover Awakened (BDB #3) [Zsadist & Bella Pt. 1; Butch & Marissa Pt. 1]
Lover Revealed (BDB #4) [Butch & Marissa Pt. 2; Vishous Pt. 1]
Lover Unbound (BDB #5) [Vishous & Jane Pt. 1]
Lover Enshrined (BDB #6) [Phury & Cormia; Qhuinn & Blay Pt. 1]
- Father Mine (BDB #6.5) [Zsadist & Bella Pt. 2]
- The Story of Son (BDB #6.6)
Lover Avenged (BDB #7) [Rehvenge & Ehlena; Wrath Pt. 1]
+ Covet (Fallen Angels #1) [Devina Pt. 1]
Lover Mine (BDB #8) [John Matthew & Xhex Pt. 1; Tohrment & No'One Pt. 1]
+ Crave (Fallen Angels #2) [Devina Pt. 2]
Lover Unleashed (BDB #9) [Payne & Manny; Visous & Jane Pt. 2; Xcor Pt. 1]
+ Envy (Fallen Angels #3) [Devina Pt. 3]
Lover Reborn (BDB #10) [Tohrment & No'One/Autumn Pt. 2; John Matthew & Xhex Pt. 2; Qhuinn & Blay Pt. 2; Xcor & Layla Pt. 1]
+ Rapture (Fallen Angels #4) [Devina Pt. 4]
Lover at Last (BDB #11) [Qhuinn & Blay Pt. 3; Xcor & Layla Pt. 2; Trez & Selena Pt. 1; Assail & Sola Pt. 1]
+ Possession (Fallen Angels #5) [Devina Pt. 5]
The King (BDB #12) [Wrath & Beth Pt. 2; Trez & Selena Pt. 2; Xcor & Layla Pt. 3; Assail & Sola Pt. 2]
+ Immortal (Fallen Angels #6) [Devina Pt. 6]
The Shadows (BDB #13) [iAm & Catra; Trez & Selena Pt. 3; Xcor & Layla Pt. 4; Assail Pt. 1]
= Blood Kiss (Legacy #1) [Paradise & Craeg; Butch & Marissa Pt. 3]
The Beast (BDB #14) [Rhage & Mary Pt. 2; Xcor & Layla Pt. 5; Assail Pt. 2; Jo Pt. 1]
= Blood Vow (Legacy #2) [Axe & Elise; Rhage & Mary Pt. 3]
The Chosen (BDB #15) [Xcor & Layla Pt. 6; Qhuinn & Blay Pt. 4; Trez & Tres/Selena Pt. 4; Vishous Pt. 2]
= Blood Fury (Legacy #3) [Peyton & Novo; Saxton & Ruhn]
- Dearest Ivie (BDB# 15.5)
The Thief (BDB #16) [Assail & Sola Pt. 3; Vishous & Jane Pt. 3, Jo Pt. 2]
- Prisoner of Night (BDB 16.5)
The Savior (BDB #17) [Murhder & Sarah; JM & Xhex Pt. 3]
= Blood Truth (Legacy #4) [Boone & Helania; Syn; Butch Pt. 1]
- Where Winter Finds You: A Caldwell Christmas (BDB #17.5) [Trez & Tres/Selena Pt. 5]
The Sinner (BDB #18) [Jo & Syn, Butch Pt. 2; Devina Pt. 7]
# The Jackal (Prison Camp #1) [Jackal & Nyx; Rhage Pt. 1]
- A Warm Heart in Winter (BDB #18.5) [Qhuinn & Blay Pt. 5]
Lover Unveiled (BDB #19) [Sahvage & Mae; Balthazar & Erika Pt. 1; Lassiter & Rhavyn Pt.1; Devina Pt. 8; Nate Pt. 1]
$ Claimed (LotW #1) [Daniel Joseph & Lydia Pt. 1, JM & Xhex Pt. 4]
# The Wolf (Prison Camp #2) [Lucan & Rio, Vishous Pt. 3]
Lover Arisen (BDB #20) [Balthazar & Erika Pt. 2, Lassiter & Rhavyn Pt. 2; Devina & Lash Pt. 1; Nate Pt. 2]
April 18, 2022
Full blown incohesive rant to follow. Beware of spoilers.
2 Stars...
Both for for Balthazar and Erica. I liked both of them a lot. And the two of them did not get enough time together. Especially at the end.
Just about everything else. 👎🏽 1/2 Star.
I absolutely hated what Ward did to Balthazar and Lassiter through Devina. I can't believe Ward went there- repeatedly in this book. Wtf is she thinking? Do Not Like! I'm so mad! Negates the 1/2 star the rest of the book may deserve.
I didn't finish the Angel series because I HATED DAVINA! Now it looks like Ward is trying to turn BDB in to that series. Has been for the past couple books, I guess. I'm not saying I won't read this series anymore because I know I probably will. There are so many loose ends... But UGH! UUUGGGGHHHH!!!!!
Rahvyn! ??????? Nate? What's going to happen with Lassiter? 😭
I'm so frustrated with Ward right now! 😒😫🥺😭😭😡😡😡😡🤬🤬🤬🤬
I should have known with a prologue like that...
The only other nice thing I have to say is V wasn't a complete ass in this book. Much improvement.
Sorry and thanks if you read this rambling mess of a rant that's supposed to be a reviews. I'm sad... she's destroying one of my favs. 🥺
2 Stars...
Both for for Balthazar and Erica. I liked both of them a lot. And the two of them did not get enough time together. Especially at the end.
Just about everything else. 👎🏽 1/2 Star.
I absolutely hated what Ward did to Balthazar and Lassiter through Devina. I can't believe Ward went there- repeatedly in this book. Wtf is she thinking? Do Not Like! I'm so mad! Negates the 1/2 star the rest of the book may deserve.
I didn't finish the Angel series because I HATED DAVINA! Now it looks like Ward is trying to turn BDB in to that series. Has been for the past couple books, I guess. I'm not saying I won't read this series anymore because I know I probably will. There are so many loose ends... But UGH! UUUGGGGHHHH!!!!!
Rahvyn! ??????? Nate? What's going to happen with Lassiter? 😭
I'm so frustrated with Ward right now! 😒😫🥺😭😭😡😡😡😡🤬🤬🤬🤬
I should have known with a prologue like that...
The only other nice thing I have to say is V wasn't a complete ass in this book. Much improvement.
Sorry and thanks if you read this rambling mess of a rant that's supposed to be a reviews. I'm sad... she's destroying one of my favs. 🥺
November 15, 2023
This time is Balthazar and Erika's story.
Balthazar is part of the Band of Bastards. He is also a thief and a great one as well. Think of him more like Robin Hood. Stealing from the wealthy and giving to the poor. He won't apologize for it.
Erika Saunders is the cop we have met in prior books. She suffered a tragedy as a teenager and because of it, she became a cop to try to help people or maybe to atone for her guilt.
When these two meet, the sparks are heavy in the ambiance. There is just a little problem, Balthazar has been possessed by the demon, Devina.
Lover Arisen also sets the chain of events for the next book in this series since we get some Nate, Rayven, and Lassiter.
I don't get tired of reading these books. Even though, they all have the same format in regards to Hero and Heroine that fall in love and fight adversity to end up with their Happily Ever After.
I did like both characters. Erika was self-sufficient and she was not scared of fighting Devina with whatever she had. Balthazar has always been a favorite since he was introduced into the series. I wish he had more talks with the other Bastards since they are his true brothers.
I don't like that an old baddie has made a comeback but we shall see what happens because of it.
The next one should be interesting for sure.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Balthazar is part of the Band of Bastards. He is also a thief and a great one as well. Think of him more like Robin Hood. Stealing from the wealthy and giving to the poor. He won't apologize for it.
Erika Saunders is the cop we have met in prior books. She suffered a tragedy as a teenager and because of it, she became a cop to try to help people or maybe to atone for her guilt.
When these two meet, the sparks are heavy in the ambiance. There is just a little problem, Balthazar has been possessed by the demon, Devina.
Lover Arisen also sets the chain of events for the next book in this series since we get some Nate, Rayven, and Lassiter.
I don't get tired of reading these books. Even though, they all have the same format in regards to Hero and Heroine that fall in love and fight adversity to end up with their Happily Ever After.
I did like both characters. Erika was self-sufficient and she was not scared of fighting Devina with whatever she had. Balthazar has always been a favorite since he was introduced into the series. I wish he had more talks with the other Bastards since they are his true brothers.
I don't like that an old baddie has made a comeback but we shall see what happens because of it.
The next one should be interesting for sure.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
April 8, 2022
I’m glad Lassiter’s book is next because after that, after 20 books of this series it’s time for me to move on. This book is another installment of bare minimum. Insta love, no depth, vampires that don’t utilize their fangs. Boring, uninspired and I don’t even know what Balthazar or Erika look like. I have no idea who Balthazar is before he came to Caldwell. Everything was surface and no substance. The sex scenes were bland and quite frankly not sexy. This has been happening across many books in the last few years. I just don’t have the spoons anymore to keep in the BDB pot any longer and I know that Lassiter’s book will be the same regurgitated nothingness. Not even Lash’s appearance had any kind of sparkle.
March 27, 2022
OMG this book! Ward is amazing. Definitely read the prior book before this one.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
this story was simply put – amazing. There is no other author like Ward.
She manages to keep you surprised at every turn. Lover Arisen is dark, raw, and shocking at times. It is tough to read about Angels and Evil in the same book, fighting for the ultimate prize. The deep connections between characters are intense and in some ways calming, knowing that someone will be there for you.
The simmering heat between Baltz and Erika is slow to grow but yet it is an immediate and strong connection that built in intensity throughout the story. Sexy and hot; these two are definitely fire.
The ending is so heartbreaking and sets up the next book. Can I wait months again for the continuation? Dang it! Do not miss Lover Arisen! So damn good!
* copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/lover-arisen...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
this story was simply put – amazing. There is no other author like Ward.
She manages to keep you surprised at every turn. Lover Arisen is dark, raw, and shocking at times. It is tough to read about Angels and Evil in the same book, fighting for the ultimate prize. The deep connections between characters are intense and in some ways calming, knowing that someone will be there for you.
The simmering heat between Baltz and Erika is slow to grow but yet it is an immediate and strong connection that built in intensity throughout the story. Sexy and hot; these two are definitely fire.
The ending is so heartbreaking and sets up the next book. Can I wait months again for the continuation? Dang it! Do not miss Lover Arisen! So damn good!
* copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/lover-arisen...
December 5, 2022
There is a lot going on in this 20th book of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. The Omega, defeated in a previous installment, may have found a way to come back to Caldwell in the form of a character we’ve seen before, who will be Devina’s match. Ward has hinted this would happen for years in her Q&A’s so longtime fans of the series will not be surprised by this particular development. There were lots of povs in this one. I found the Devina scenes entertaining… to a point. But much like with the Lesser scenes of previous books, after a while they start to take up a lot of page time and because she’s done some things that are really unforgivable, I’m not sure I want to cheer for her happy ending with anyone or read about her falling in love.
Our main couple in this book is Balthazar and Erika. The former is one of the Band of Bastards and Erika is a cop we were briefly introduced to in a previous book. I liked their storyline, which centered around demon possession and a quest to find a Book of Spells, just fine. I really liked both characters and wished we could have spent more time with them. Due to so many other story lines (Vishous, Nate, Rayven, Lassiter, Devina), they get comparatively less page time despite being the main romance, and we really haven’t had any development of their characters in the previous books since Ward has made the change over to writing standalones. Unfortunately this made their characters and love story read as a bit flat to me.
My favorite part of the book was the story arc involving Nate, Rayven and Lassiter. There were some interesting developments and revelations about Rayven and I liked how what happened in the book set up angsty situations for both Nate and Lassiter. 3/5 stars.
Our main couple in this book is Balthazar and Erika. The former is one of the Band of Bastards and Erika is a cop we were briefly introduced to in a previous book. I liked their storyline, which centered around demon possession and a quest to find a Book of Spells, just fine. I really liked both characters and wished we could have spent more time with them. Due to so many other story lines (Vishous, Nate, Rayven, Lassiter, Devina), they get comparatively less page time despite being the main romance, and we really haven’t had any development of their characters in the previous books since Ward has made the change over to writing standalones. Unfortunately this made their characters and love story read as a bit flat to me.
My favorite part of the book was the story arc involving Nate, Rayven and Lassiter. There were some interesting developments and revelations about Rayven and I liked how what happened in the book set up angsty situations for both Nate and Lassiter. 3/5 stars.
July 18, 2022
Balthazar is one of my favorite of the band of bastards! In last couple of books we learned more about him and I grew to really love this thief and soldier of Xcor's. And when Devina a demon started possessing him because he was her new fixation I didn't know were JR was heading with his story till she started bringing Erika a police detective into his orbit! This was a excellent pairing and their chemistry very good. But their story isn't the only thing going on. Omega is back and that spells trouble for the BDB but if he hooks up with Devina its gonna be a bloodbath for everyone. Also theirs the paring of Nate and Rahvyn and our favorite fallen angel Lassiter! If I'm honest I'm a little pissed at JR ward for the sacrifice that Lassiter had to make so Devina would back off and leave Balthazar alone but I knew a twist was coming, i just didn't see this one! I can't wait to see how this works out. As always JR writes with humor,tears and heartache!Devina and her designer handbag obsession is a little fucked up! But I give her big props for big lady balls and her choice in men! Underneath all the self love is a lonely woman and although she's a rotten bitch and I'd love to snap her neck I kind of feel sorry for her! Deep down she just wants someone to pick her over all others and love her. And some really great sex!😂 Another great installment from the world of BDB next up Lassiter's book! It ought to be one hell of a ride! Until next time Luv's 💕💋
April 7, 2022
I need this book to be about Lassiter but I also thing that Balz is a good bet and I would be fine with either. As long as it isn’t a random. But Rhage 3 would be appreciated too.
After reading
Lassiter is my child. I will protect him with my life. Balz and Erika were adorable.
After reading
Lassiter is my child. I will protect him with my life. Balz and Erika were adorable.
September 6, 2024
3.75 stars
As a whole I enjoyed this more than the last 2 installments. There were still some problems that I wasn't happy with but I liked the main couple, they didn't bore me, there was more action in this and a side plot I actually cared about. I could not put my kindle down for the most part so there is that. It's come to the point where I now have to weigh and compare my reading experience with the previous book when it comes to rating these BDB books. Which is a sad truth. This wasn't a favorite but there were moments that had me on the edge of my seat or trying to guess what happens next.
Balthazar & Erika
Surprisingly I enjoyed them. I went into this not caring one wit for these two and thought I was going to get the same dry boring template as the previous couple. But Erika and Balthazar had chemistry and the bonding and connection felt natural and built up rather than forced which is the issue I had with the last 2 books. And we got more than 1 sex scene that lasted longer than a fucking paragraph. I thought pigs were flying since more than 2 sex scenes seemed to be a thing of the past in this series. I liked the heroine Erika who was a combination of strong, resilient yet kind and vulnerable with a heartbreaking backstory. And for once a heroine who didn’t act like a mule headed irrational “I don’t need your help” bitchy idiot. She reminded me a lot of the heroine in Envy from Ward's Fallen Angel series, which is my favorite book from that spin off. I liked that she was strong yet honest, vulnerable and open minded. Her traumatic backstory was heartbreaking and gave this character depth and integrity. As the sole survivor of a murder suicide that took her parents and brother at the age of 16, it’s what drove her to become a homicide detective. I liked her backstory and how dedicated she was to her job, it held weight. And once again this is where Ward really shows her strength as a writer, the gritty gruesome details of crime scenes and seedy underworld of Caldwell. It blows my mind that she can put all the attention to detail to a crime scene from sight, sound and smell and how exactly someone was killed like a scene straight out of CSI but she can't give me a description of her hero to save her life. Hhhmp.
As for Balthazar I wish he was more fleshed out. I'm sad we didn't get his origin backstory like we did with Syn. Don't know much about him other than he's a thief and he's part of the Band of Bastards. The fact that I have no idea what he looks like through the whole book really bugged me. His face is a blob to me. I know exactly what his cousin Syphon looks like but nothing on Balthazar's face. If Ward seriously thinks readers are supposed to remember what her hero looks like because she described his face 2-3 books prior then she is out of her mind. This oversight felt really lazy.
Lassiter & Rahvyn
I love them and their potential. I'm excited and at the same time I want to curl into a ball and cry. Lassiter really stole the show for me here hands down. He stepped up to the plate and then some as the role of Scribe Virgin. Seeing him face off with Devina was great even though I NOW WANT TO MURDER HER WITH MY BARE HAAANDS. !@#$%^&*()_?! Did I say I'm glad she's back? Was that me? I lied. 😩 Seeing our Fallen Angel yearning for a female for the first time and having to give her up was heartbreaking and gave me the star crossed lovers angst and tension I always love to see. Ugh the yearning. Rahvyn the mysterious, other-wordly female with powers that are beyond what anyone realizes is very interesting. We get to see what she's really capable of in here and she doesn't feel like she belongs in this world with the Brothers and present day Caldwell. Can I just say that I love that she's not just another vampire or a human. I've always wanted Lassiter paired with someone special and I think she's the perfect mix. I just hope that rarity and uniqueness doesn't evaporate in his book. *crossing everything*
I was eager for more of these two and dying to see how things played out. They gave me butterflies and made my stomach do a flip-dee-doo and the last time I felt that way about a BDB couple was Xcor and Layla. I'm hoping they get a good/decent payoff and I hope somebody murders that demon bitch Devina and vanquish her back to hell. I want to fight somebody for what she did here. Ward you are so messed up for pulling that vile shit again. WhatWastheReason.gif
Vishous
Dear Jessica Ward, Is Vishous now the King, not Wrath? Is Vishous now the Primale, not Phury? Is Vishous now the first commander, not Tohr? Is Vishous now Balthazar's leader, not Xcor? Is he the fucking Diety now? Only him and Butch can "intervene" now to save a life? Not Payne? Not Jane or Manny? Have all the other Brothers and their mates poofed! and now he is taking over all their roles? This guy is now everywhere and anywhere, speaking for everyone including Wrath and has his nose in shit that has absolutely nothing to do with him. What's the deal? Is he now the poster boy for all things Brotherhood? I'm beyond tired of him at this point. A Bastard asking Vishous to help him instead of his own leader Xcor is all kinds of asinine and stupid. V now is always there with answers, saving the day, being the "begrudging" listening ear with his trademark "look I'm giving it to you straight, true?" tagline. True this: you are annoying you insufferable air hogging chain smoking condescending douchehole. He's the only Brother who had a POV in this and I just have to ask why? Wrath, the fucking King had only one line of dialogue in this just to compare. VISHOUS IS NOT THE ONLY BROTHER WARDEN.
I don't care how popular he is among fans or how much Ward worships him. Show me the other guys, have them talk, have them involved in storylines where they actually fit better and are needed more than Goatee Man. And just to be clear I know V has history with Lassiter but this has nothing to do with Lassiter because this has been going on for like 6 books straight and not even including the spin-off books. This isn't an imaginary problem to hate on a character. But if that makes me a "hating dumbass" to some, so be it. You can be a fan of a character while also admitting to their flaws and when they are eating up airtime. If this was a problem with my babies Z or Wrath I would be saying the same damn thing. He's the only Brother getting POV now, that's not made up shit or hating, it's a fact. There's nothing to debate on this. There is such a thing as character fatigue and J.R. Ward is really pushing it with this one character. If you really truly believe Vishous was 100% needed as the only listening ear to a Bastard much less a human heroine or what happened with Nate then I don't know what to tell you. I very much believe in too much of a good thing and Ward has written this character through the ground. It's become the Vishous Show and it's ridiculous. Him and his Mommy issues are beyond done and tired and I don't want to read about him anymore. Payne his twin sister who has mysteriously and conveniently disappeared from books also has healing powers. Remember her? She also suffered at the hands of his mother. Is Ward forgetting this? It's now just all about Vishous and his pain?
Nate
I have mixed feelings about what happened to him here but I'm glad he made it through. I still think this character is very endearing and sweet. I just really truly hope and pray we aren't going into the next book with a love triangle between him, Rahvyn and Lassiter. Please no. Given Ward's very short attention span I do not want a love triangle where an already heartbroken couple have to deal with a 3rd party. The last time she tried a love triangle it was a hot mess so no thank you please.
Devina
Final Verdict: Ok, not bad. I liked it. Was this amazing or a favorite? No. But it held my interest and didn't make my eyes glaze over like that last few books. A part of me has mentally checked out and just going in blind not expecting amazing anymore. Honestly if it wasn't for the Lassiter subplot I might not have enjoyed this as much. I want to read Lassiter's book for sure but anxious and scared and feeling bittersweet about it all because it's looking like my last hurrah with the BDB world. :( This is a long-winded rant for another time but I don't like or agree with the direction J.R. Ward wants to take this series after Lassiter's book and given her lack of attention to developing romance and all the new characters she sidelined for nothing I just don't care about the BDB kids all grown up and falling in love right now. Sorry not sorry. You can't keep asking me to invest in things when you barely give me the payoff. *shrugs*
As a whole I enjoyed this more than the last 2 installments. There were still some problems that I wasn't happy with but I liked the main couple, they didn't bore me, there was more action in this and a side plot I actually cared about. I could not put my kindle down for the most part so there is that. It's come to the point where I now have to weigh and compare my reading experience with the previous book when it comes to rating these BDB books. Which is a sad truth. This wasn't a favorite but there were moments that had me on the edge of my seat or trying to guess what happens next.
Balthazar & Erika
Surprisingly I enjoyed them. I went into this not caring one wit for these two and thought I was going to get the same dry boring template as the previous couple. But Erika and Balthazar had chemistry and the bonding and connection felt natural and built up rather than forced which is the issue I had with the last 2 books. And we got more than 1 sex scene that lasted longer than a fucking paragraph. I thought pigs were flying since more than 2 sex scenes seemed to be a thing of the past in this series. I liked the heroine Erika who was a combination of strong, resilient yet kind and vulnerable with a heartbreaking backstory. And for once a heroine who didn’t act like a mule headed irrational “I don’t need your help” bitchy idiot. She reminded me a lot of the heroine in Envy from Ward's Fallen Angel series, which is my favorite book from that spin off. I liked that she was strong yet honest, vulnerable and open minded. Her traumatic backstory was heartbreaking and gave this character depth and integrity. As the sole survivor of a murder suicide that took her parents and brother at the age of 16, it’s what drove her to become a homicide detective. I liked her backstory and how dedicated she was to her job, it held weight. And once again this is where Ward really shows her strength as a writer, the gritty gruesome details of crime scenes and seedy underworld of Caldwell. It blows my mind that she can put all the attention to detail to a crime scene from sight, sound and smell and how exactly someone was killed like a scene straight out of CSI but she can't give me a description of her hero to save her life. Hhhmp.
As for Balthazar I wish he was more fleshed out. I'm sad we didn't get his origin backstory like we did with Syn. Don't know much about him other than he's a thief and he's part of the Band of Bastards. The fact that I have no idea what he looks like through the whole book really bugged me. His face is a blob to me. I know exactly what his cousin Syphon looks like but nothing on Balthazar's face. If Ward seriously thinks readers are supposed to remember what her hero looks like because she described his face 2-3 books prior then she is out of her mind. This oversight felt really lazy.
Lassiter & Rahvyn
“From the first moment I saw you,” he said in a hoarse voice, “that night when Sahvage and Mae came here… there was just something about you. I couldn’t look away.”
I love them and their potential. I'm excited and at the same time I want to curl into a ball and cry. Lassiter really stole the show for me here hands down. He stepped up to the plate and then some as the role of Scribe Virgin. Seeing him face off with Devina was great even though I NOW WANT TO MURDER HER WITH MY BARE HAAANDS. !@#$%^&*()_?! Did I say I'm glad she's back? Was that me? I lied. 😩 Seeing our Fallen Angel yearning for a female for the first time and having to give her up was heartbreaking and gave me the star crossed lovers angst and tension I always love to see. Ugh the yearning. Rahvyn the mysterious, other-wordly female with powers that are beyond what anyone realizes is very interesting. We get to see what she's really capable of in here and she doesn't feel like she belongs in this world with the Brothers and present day Caldwell. Can I just say that I love that she's not just another vampire or a human. I've always wanted Lassiter paired with someone special and I think she's the perfect mix. I just hope that rarity and uniqueness doesn't evaporate in his book. *crossing everything*
The rush of wild flowers swirled around them both, encompassing their vicinity in the meadow, bringing daylight unto the night—and Rahvyn was so o’ercome, she let out a sound of delight and swept her hands to the sky. In a twirl, she imagined that she could gather them up in her arms, a sight for sore eyes, a lift for a heavy heart, a sniff into a grateful, astounded nose. And then she stilled. Lowering her arms, she saw that he remained grim. “Are you leaving right the now?”
He took a step back. “I just wanted to give you something beautiful, so you can feel even a little of the wonder I have whenever I look into your eyes.”
I was eager for more of these two and dying to see how things played out. They gave me butterflies and made my stomach do a flip-dee-doo and the last time I felt that way about a BDB couple was Xcor and Layla. I'm hoping they get a good/decent payoff and I hope somebody murders that demon bitch Devina and vanquish her back to hell. I want to fight somebody for what she did here. Ward you are so messed up for pulling that vile shit again. WhatWastheReason.gif
“Oh, Lassiter.” Riding a sudden surge of emotion, she jumped into the space between them, and the instant she did, he caught her, his arms wrapping around her and drawing her flush against his strong body. With his great strength, he lifted her easily from the wild flowers he had created for her, holding her so tight that they nearly became one. And in response, she attempted to encircle his shoulders. They were far too large, so she settled for his neck to hold him back. She had the sense this was a beginning for them. But also an end.
Vishous
Dear Jessica Ward, Is Vishous now the King, not Wrath? Is Vishous now the Primale, not Phury? Is Vishous now the first commander, not Tohr? Is Vishous now Balthazar's leader, not Xcor? Is he the fucking Diety now? Only him and Butch can "intervene" now to save a life? Not Payne? Not Jane or Manny? Have all the other Brothers and their mates poofed! and now he is taking over all their roles? This guy is now everywhere and anywhere, speaking for everyone including Wrath and has his nose in shit that has absolutely nothing to do with him. What's the deal? Is he now the poster boy for all things Brotherhood? I'm beyond tired of him at this point. A Bastard asking Vishous to help him instead of his own leader Xcor is all kinds of asinine and stupid. V now is always there with answers, saving the day, being the "begrudging" listening ear with his trademark "look I'm giving it to you straight, true?" tagline. True this: you are annoying you insufferable air hogging chain smoking condescending douchehole. He's the only Brother who had a POV in this and I just have to ask why? Wrath, the fucking King had only one line of dialogue in this just to compare. VISHOUS IS NOT THE ONLY BROTHER WARDEN.
I don't care how popular he is among fans or how much Ward worships him. Show me the other guys, have them talk, have them involved in storylines where they actually fit better and are needed more than Goatee Man. And just to be clear I know V has history with Lassiter but this has nothing to do with Lassiter because this has been going on for like 6 books straight and not even including the spin-off books. This isn't an imaginary problem to hate on a character. But if that makes me a "hating dumbass" to some, so be it. You can be a fan of a character while also admitting to their flaws and when they are eating up airtime. If this was a problem with my babies Z or Wrath I would be saying the same damn thing. He's the only Brother getting POV now, that's not made up shit or hating, it's a fact. There's nothing to debate on this. There is such a thing as character fatigue and J.R. Ward is really pushing it with this one character. If you really truly believe Vishous was 100% needed as the only listening ear to a Bastard much less a human heroine or what happened with Nate then I don't know what to tell you. I very much believe in too much of a good thing and Ward has written this character through the ground. It's become the Vishous Show and it's ridiculous. Him and his Mommy issues are beyond done and tired and I don't want to read about him anymore. Payne his twin sister who has mysteriously and conveniently disappeared from books also has healing powers. Remember her? She also suffered at the hands of his mother. Is Ward forgetting this? It's now just all about Vishous and his pain?
Nate
I have mixed feelings about what happened to him here but I'm glad he made it through. I still think this character is very endearing and sweet. I just really truly hope and pray we aren't going into the next book with a love triangle between him, Rahvyn and Lassiter. Please no. Given Ward's very short attention span I do not want a love triangle where an already heartbroken couple have to deal with a 3rd party. The last time she tried a love triangle it was a hot mess so no thank you please.
Devina
Final Verdict: Ok, not bad. I liked it. Was this amazing or a favorite? No. But it held my interest and didn't make my eyes glaze over like that last few books. A part of me has mentally checked out and just going in blind not expecting amazing anymore. Honestly if it wasn't for the Lassiter subplot I might not have enjoyed this as much. I want to read Lassiter's book for sure but anxious and scared and feeling bittersweet about it all because it's looking like my last hurrah with the BDB world. :( This is a long-winded rant for another time but I don't like or agree with the direction J.R. Ward wants to take this series after Lassiter's book and given her lack of attention to developing romance and all the new characters she sidelined for nothing I just don't care about the BDB kids all grown up and falling in love right now. Sorry not sorry. You can't keep asking me to invest in things when you barely give me the payoff. *shrugs*
April 6, 2023
4 Estrellitas. Continuamos con el mundo de la Hermandad y admito que con un libro muy esperado. Tenía ganas de la historia de Balz, pero también de saber qué pasa con Lassiter.
"Lover Arisen" empieza después de la historia de Savhage y Mae, un libro que aunque novedoso, por incluir magia, como romance me supo a poco. Desde entonces sabemos que Balz y Erika serán pareja.
Erika Saunders es una humana, una detective de homicidios muy buena en su trabajo, pero una solitaria con un trágico pasado. Erika nunca se ha creído capaz de amar ni de que la amen. Y cuando una serie de extraños asesinatos, relacionados con la aparición de un libro más raro aún, Erika y Balthazar se encontrarán.
Balthazar es un luchador del grupo de Bastardos de Xcor. Aunque ahora viven con la Hermandad y protegen al rey, Balz siempre ha estado más allá de lo políticamente correcto, es un ladrón, un criminal y Erika persigue criminales. Y por si fuera poco, Balthazar también está poseído por el demonio Devina.
Tal y como es común en este mundo, Balz y Erika se han encontrado varias veces, con el resultado de que a ella siempre le borran la memoria, lo que le causa terribles dolores de cabeza. Hasta que un día, una especie de sombras extrañas los atacan a ambos, y Balz se ve obligado a introducir a Erika en su mundo.
Algo está pasando el Caldwell, Devina no consigue hacerse con Balz y está dispuesta a destrozar su nuevo amor con la humana. Devina es un personaje odioso, pero ansiosa por encontrar a su amor verdadero. Y por desgracia en éste libro se cumplen algunas cosas que las fans llevamos años creyendo que van a pasar. No todo lo que creímos que estaba muerto lo está, y creo que éste libro y el siguiente serán los que marquen el inicio de una nueva era en el mundo de la Hermandad.
Lejos de la historia y el romance principal, aquí tendremos el inicio de lo que será el libro de Lassiter. Lassiter tuvo una mujer que perdió, y aunque se sospechaba, sabemos que esa mujer es Rahvyn, una vampira muy poderosa que conocimos en el anterior libro, y con un pasado misterioso, pues apareció de la nada y viajó a través del tiempo hasta el mundo que conocemos. Pero ése final entre Rahvyn y Lassiter me ha dejado con la boca abierta, Ward es especialista en dejarnos con las ganas.
En cuanto al romance principal, la verdad que me ha gustado mucho, Erika es una mujer fuerte y valiente que acepta todo con entereza y estoicismo, y eso me ha gustado. Me ha gustado que se acepten como son y sobre todo cómo resuelven su historia para llegar a su felices para siempre. Me parece que Ward se ha portado bien con ésta pareja y con el final que les ha dado, me ha resultado original, para lo que ella suele escribir.
Ahora, tocará esperar al libro de Lassiter, que por suerte se publicará en breve, porque son muchas, muchísimas ganas las que hay del siguiente libro.
"Lover Arisen" empieza después de la historia de Savhage y Mae, un libro que aunque novedoso, por incluir magia, como romance me supo a poco. Desde entonces sabemos que Balz y Erika serán pareja.
Erika Saunders es una humana, una detective de homicidios muy buena en su trabajo, pero una solitaria con un trágico pasado. Erika nunca se ha creído capaz de amar ni de que la amen. Y cuando una serie de extraños asesinatos, relacionados con la aparición de un libro más raro aún, Erika y Balthazar se encontrarán.
Balthazar es un luchador del grupo de Bastardos de Xcor. Aunque ahora viven con la Hermandad y protegen al rey, Balz siempre ha estado más allá de lo políticamente correcto, es un ladrón, un criminal y Erika persigue criminales. Y por si fuera poco, Balthazar también está poseído por el demonio Devina.
Tal y como es común en este mundo, Balz y Erika se han encontrado varias veces, con el resultado de que a ella siempre le borran la memoria, lo que le causa terribles dolores de cabeza. Hasta que un día, una especie de sombras extrañas los atacan a ambos, y Balz se ve obligado a introducir a Erika en su mundo.
Algo está pasando el Caldwell, Devina no consigue hacerse con Balz y está dispuesta a destrozar su nuevo amor con la humana. Devina es un personaje odioso, pero ansiosa por encontrar a su amor verdadero. Y por desgracia en éste libro se cumplen algunas cosas que las fans llevamos años creyendo que van a pasar. No todo lo que creímos que estaba muerto lo está, y creo que éste libro y el siguiente serán los que marquen el inicio de una nueva era en el mundo de la Hermandad.
Lejos de la historia y el romance principal, aquí tendremos el inicio de lo que será el libro de Lassiter. Lassiter tuvo una mujer que perdió, y aunque se sospechaba, sabemos que esa mujer es Rahvyn, una vampira muy poderosa que conocimos en el anterior libro, y con un pasado misterioso, pues apareció de la nada y viajó a través del tiempo hasta el mundo que conocemos. Pero ése final entre Rahvyn y Lassiter me ha dejado con la boca abierta, Ward es especialista en dejarnos con las ganas.
En cuanto al romance principal, la verdad que me ha gustado mucho, Erika es una mujer fuerte y valiente que acepta todo con entereza y estoicismo, y eso me ha gustado. Me ha gustado que se acepten como son y sobre todo cómo resuelven su historia para llegar a su felices para siempre. Me parece que Ward se ha portado bien con ésta pareja y con el final que les ha dado, me ha resultado original, para lo que ella suele escribir.
Ahora, tocará esperar al libro de Lassiter, que por suerte se publicará en breve, porque son muchas, muchísimas ganas las que hay del siguiente libro.
May 6, 2022
It's a nightmare of a read. One Lone Star rating is all I can give. A D Grade. Lots of Ds come to mind.
Dang. Depressing. Dull characters (who used to shine so brilliantly so brightly.) Dimly lit atmosphere. Dark ~ not in an edgy way. Dragging. Disorganized. Desolations all over. ⭐️
Yeah. I'm depressed.
Yet, there are rare beautiful scenes. Here's one:
(Which ~ sadly ~ has nothing to do with the blurb about True Love ~ or maybe it has? For the wrong couple? Not the main couple of the book? But the HEA couple of the upcoming book?)
Dang. Depressing. Dull characters (who used to shine so brilliantly so brightly.) Dimly lit atmosphere. Dark ~ not in an edgy way. Dragging. Disorganized. Desolations all over. ⭐️
Yeah. I'm depressed.
Yet, there are rare beautiful scenes. Here's one:
(Which ~ sadly ~ has nothing to do with the blurb about True Love ~ or maybe it has? For the wrong couple? Not the main couple of the book? But the HEA couple of the upcoming book?)
The rush of wild flowers swirled around them both, encompassing their vicinity in the meadow, bringing daylight unto the night—and Rahvyn was so o’ercome . . .
April 22, 2022
This series needed to be over like ten books ago. Devina is annoying AF. Story pretty boring. But Lassiter book is next in the series, so of course I’ll cave and read it too.
April 1, 2022
I received a free copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads
LOVER ARISEN is the 20th installment in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. You absolutely must be current with the series and read in series order, as there was a shift in the series, the world building changing from the first half of the installments, which would lead to confusion for the reader.
To be honest, I'm a fan of Ward's but no longer a die-hard fan of the series itself. I will continue to reread the first 10 books or so, knowing them like the back of my hand. The latter books in the series are a one and done, and sometimes a struggle to wade through at that. Read purely out of nostalgia, and in LOVER ARISEN's case, it was just that. Nostalgic.
Now onto the review.
Full Stop. There were just too many threads being woven together, too many plots, to the point they all got lost in the wash, so to speak. None of them were fully explored, the knots not necessarily tying together without holes. It was a struggle for me to get through, because with the more going on, the less time I have to connect with the characters and the story.
I liked the homicide detective just fine but that was about it, as I truly didn't know much about Erika. Just surface level emotions, shallow. The same for Balthazar, liked him just fine, what I read about him. There wasn't much there, either in their backstories or their present, with the thinnest of ties in their romance. As what they receive as "their book" was more like a quarter of the pages, if that.
See, this is why I enjoyed the first half of the series more. The MCs were the focus, the continuing threads were secondary. Unless they're a main character across an arc of novels (like Lassiter's love triangle), characters like Erika and Balthazar, their romances are insta-love, forced proximity with no true connection, where a couple is tossed together, a couple that wouldn't be together, never having anything in common, and never balancing each other out. But they're never given the page-time to make that connection, shortchanging both characters and the readers' experience. Erika and Balthazar were no different, they're together because WARD told us so. They're just there, being driven over by the rest of the story for the added romance.
Overshadowing the connection between the main characters- to the point where they aren't truly the MCs, were they? -are two predominant plots. Sure, it all connects, but the MCs are only the passengers. Main characters are supposed to drive, right?
Lassiter is our new Scribe Virgin, which is awesome. Who doesn't love Lassiter? I've enjoyed him since he first stepped onto the pages many, many books ago. I enjoyed his plot. See, that's the thing. Lassiter outshined the meh MCs. Not hard to do when you quite literally shine. So why not just focus on Lassiter, right?
Well, because Lassiter's book is next. Okay. Great. But instead of feeding the next novel, how about we concentrate on Erika and Balthazar then? Sure, we want more Lassiter, but don't outshine. Just makes it feel like filler, padding the excitement for the next novel, totally shortchanging the current couple. Just saying...
Many scene-stealing characters, none of them the supposed MCs. Rahvyn, a power unto herself. Nate. The demon, Devina, is a force to be reckoned with, an enjoyable villainess- a unique and interesting character that spawned the reemergence of a character who I wished was long gone, to the point I doubt I will continue reading the series onward, sticking to my tried and true favorites.
We got rid of this heinous character. There are villains, entertaining villains and bad villains and redeemable villains, and then there is this character of pure evil. I'm not interested to discover if he is reformed or made even more evil, because in my opinion, I was just thankful to never see him name on the pages. Nothing is as creepy as a demon who wants to "love" this creep. Frankly, it triggers me on an emotional level, even seeing his name. This is a line-crosser for me, so I'm outie!
No doubt readers are wishing to know if any of the main brothers are on-scene. Several cameos offering classic BDB banter. V. My man, V gets some page-time. To be honest, we needed more of this humor-laden entertainment, because the mood of the novel was dark. The romance was not strong enough to lighten it. The novel was sorely lacking the usual levity. The WARDen's voice is so distinct, a voice I miss and long to hear more. The spin of the words, making me chuckle unexpectedly, thoroughly entertained, but I felt this novel was missing that spark.
Bottom line: the world building is addictive and original. Many characters are intriguing, but those characters just so happen to NOT be Erika or Balthazar. The romance is ho-hum, the smexy meh, because the romance is just there to cushion what could have turned the novel into more horror than paranormal romance.
LOVER ARISEN is the 20th installment in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. You absolutely must be current with the series and read in series order, as there was a shift in the series, the world building changing from the first half of the installments, which would lead to confusion for the reader.
To be honest, I'm a fan of Ward's but no longer a die-hard fan of the series itself. I will continue to reread the first 10 books or so, knowing them like the back of my hand. The latter books in the series are a one and done, and sometimes a struggle to wade through at that. Read purely out of nostalgia, and in LOVER ARISEN's case, it was just that. Nostalgic.
Now onto the review.
Full Stop. There were just too many threads being woven together, too many plots, to the point they all got lost in the wash, so to speak. None of them were fully explored, the knots not necessarily tying together without holes. It was a struggle for me to get through, because with the more going on, the less time I have to connect with the characters and the story.
I liked the homicide detective just fine but that was about it, as I truly didn't know much about Erika. Just surface level emotions, shallow. The same for Balthazar, liked him just fine, what I read about him. There wasn't much there, either in their backstories or their present, with the thinnest of ties in their romance. As what they receive as "their book" was more like a quarter of the pages, if that.
See, this is why I enjoyed the first half of the series more. The MCs were the focus, the continuing threads were secondary. Unless they're a main character across an arc of novels (like Lassiter's love triangle), characters like Erika and Balthazar, their romances are insta-love, forced proximity with no true connection, where a couple is tossed together, a couple that wouldn't be together, never having anything in common, and never balancing each other out. But they're never given the page-time to make that connection, shortchanging both characters and the readers' experience. Erika and Balthazar were no different, they're together because WARD told us so. They're just there, being driven over by the rest of the story for the added romance.
Overshadowing the connection between the main characters- to the point where they aren't truly the MCs, were they? -are two predominant plots. Sure, it all connects, but the MCs are only the passengers. Main characters are supposed to drive, right?
Lassiter is our new Scribe Virgin, which is awesome. Who doesn't love Lassiter? I've enjoyed him since he first stepped onto the pages many, many books ago. I enjoyed his plot. See, that's the thing. Lassiter outshined the meh MCs. Not hard to do when you quite literally shine. So why not just focus on Lassiter, right?
Well, because Lassiter's book is next. Okay. Great. But instead of feeding the next novel, how about we concentrate on Erika and Balthazar then? Sure, we want more Lassiter, but don't outshine. Just makes it feel like filler, padding the excitement for the next novel, totally shortchanging the current couple. Just saying...
Many scene-stealing characters, none of them the supposed MCs. Rahvyn, a power unto herself. Nate. The demon, Devina, is a force to be reckoned with, an enjoyable villainess- a unique and interesting character that spawned the reemergence of a character who I wished was long gone, to the point I doubt I will continue reading the series onward, sticking to my tried and true favorites.
We got rid of this heinous character. There are villains, entertaining villains and bad villains and redeemable villains, and then there is this character of pure evil. I'm not interested to discover if he is reformed or made even more evil, because in my opinion, I was just thankful to never see him name on the pages. Nothing is as creepy as a demon who wants to "love" this creep. Frankly, it triggers me on an emotional level, even seeing his name. This is a line-crosser for me, so I'm outie!
No doubt readers are wishing to know if any of the main brothers are on-scene. Several cameos offering classic BDB banter. V. My man, V gets some page-time. To be honest, we needed more of this humor-laden entertainment, because the mood of the novel was dark. The romance was not strong enough to lighten it. The novel was sorely lacking the usual levity. The WARDen's voice is so distinct, a voice I miss and long to hear more. The spin of the words, making me chuckle unexpectedly, thoroughly entertained, but I felt this novel was missing that spark.
Bottom line: the world building is addictive and original. Many characters are intriguing, but those characters just so happen to NOT be Erika or Balthazar. The romance is ho-hum, the smexy meh, because the romance is just there to cushion what could have turned the novel into more horror than paranormal romance.
March 15, 2023
4.5 Fallen Stars
Baltz and Erika
We open with Balthazar is still searching for the Book of Spells to rid himself of Davina and along the way he has found himself attracted to a human women. The woman is not only human but a police detective investigating not only his crimes but several brutal murders where the bodies have been mutilated. Erika gets the feeling that something supernatural is going on and she’s determined to figure out what's going on in Caldwell. During the investigation Balthazar and Erika are brought together. Now they must go on a journey to save the identity of the Brotherhood and vampires. I really like them as a couple, they fit but, she’s human so I’m not sure how their relationship will pan out.
Nate, Rhavyn, and Lassiter
Nate is still infatuated Rhavyn, Rhavyn cares about Nate but her affections for him are platonic. There is something between Rhavyn and Lassiter. Lassiter is taken by her, you get the feeling that there is much more to them, something in their past? During a night out with Nate there is trouble and thanks to Rhavyn Nate’s life is spared but it comes with consequences. We shall see how this will play out. Lassiter made some sacrifices and he’s….suffering for those choices. I gotta say, he broke my heart. We definitely see a different Lassiter here.
Davina and Lash!!!
All-in-all Lover Arisen is another great addition to BDB series. I’m already looking forward to Lassiter (Due in April 2023). His cover is AWESOME!!!
Reread dates:
3/15/2023
February 22, 2023
Boring. Empty. Unnecessary.
What a waste of time. It took me 2 and a half months to get through this book, and this is coming from someone who usually devours these series's books in a couple of days. My mind can't yet comprehend how this tedious, gloomy, underdeveloped and incomplete MESS was ever allowed to be published. Unbelievable.
BDB #1: Dark Lover - 4.5 stars
BDB #2: Lover Eternal - 4 stars
BDB #3: Lover Awakened - 5 stars
BDB #4: Lover Revealed - 4 stars
BDB #5: Lover Unbound - 4 stars
BDB #6: Lover Enshrined - 4 stars
BDB #6.5: Father Mine - 3 stars
BDB #7: Lover Avenged - 4 stars
BDB #8: Lover Mine - 5 stars
BDB #9: Lover Unleashed - 3 stars
BDB #10: Lover Reborn - 4 stars
BDB #11: Lover at Last - 5 stars
BDB #12: The King - 3 stars
BDB #13: The Shadows - 4.5 stars
BDB #14: The Beast - 4.5 stars
BDB #15: The Chosen - 4 stars
BDB #15.5: Dearest Ivie - 2 stars
BDB #16: The Thief - 3 stars.
BDB #16.5: Prisoner of Night - 3 stars
BDB #17: The Savior - 4 stars
BDB #17.5: Where Winter Finds You - 3 stars
BDB #18: The Sinner - 3.5 stars
BDB #18.5: A Warm Heart in Winter - 3 Stars
BDB #19: Lover Unveiled - 2 Stars
BDB #20: Lover Arisen - 1 Star
BDB Prison Camp #1: The Jackal - 3.5 star.
BDB Prison Camp #2: The Wolf - 1 star.
What a waste of time. It took me 2 and a half months to get through this book, and this is coming from someone who usually devours these series's books in a couple of days. My mind can't yet comprehend how this tedious, gloomy, underdeveloped and incomplete MESS was ever allowed to be published. Unbelievable.
BDB #1: Dark Lover - 4.5 stars
BDB #2: Lover Eternal - 4 stars
BDB #3: Lover Awakened - 5 stars
BDB #4: Lover Revealed - 4 stars
BDB #5: Lover Unbound - 4 stars
BDB #6: Lover Enshrined - 4 stars
BDB #6.5: Father Mine - 3 stars
BDB #7: Lover Avenged - 4 stars
BDB #8: Lover Mine - 5 stars
BDB #9: Lover Unleashed - 3 stars
BDB #10: Lover Reborn - 4 stars
BDB #11: Lover at Last - 5 stars
BDB #12: The King - 3 stars
BDB #13: The Shadows - 4.5 stars
BDB #14: The Beast - 4.5 stars
BDB #15: The Chosen - 4 stars
BDB #15.5: Dearest Ivie - 2 stars
BDB #16: The Thief - 3 stars.
BDB #16.5: Prisoner of Night - 3 stars
BDB #17: The Savior - 4 stars
BDB #17.5: Where Winter Finds You - 3 stars
BDB #18: The Sinner - 3.5 stars
BDB #18.5: A Warm Heart in Winter - 3 Stars
BDB #19: Lover Unveiled - 2 Stars
BDB #20: Lover Arisen - 1 Star
BDB Prison Camp #1: The Jackal - 3.5 star.
BDB Prison Camp #2: The Wolf - 1 star.
April 7, 2022
3.5 stars. This one is complicated for me. How much you like it depends on what your expectations are for a main BDB book and an author that charges $13 for an ebook (Ward is the most expensive author I buy). Spoilers below.
The good news is that overall this is a much better book than Lover Unveiled or The Jackal and Erika is much more likable than Nyx or Mae. Vishous seems back to his normal self rather than acting like a jealous teenage girl in The Wolf. There were some emotional moments and a fair amount of humor.
The bad news is that Erika is a human and I’m over it. If you’re creating a world where human mates can’t be turned, stop introducing so many humans. These males are killing off the race that they say they’re trying to save. Here come the expectations…. This is the shortest main book since Dark Lover. It’s barely over 400 pages long. There is absolutely no backstory on Balthazar. I don’t know a single thing about Balz that I didn’t already know. What was his family life like? Why did he leave them as a pretrans to go with Syn? Why is he a thief that robs from the rich and gives it to the poor? Why did he join the Bloodletter’s camp? How did he and Syn meet up with their cousin Syphon? We saw a few moments with Syphon but where was Syn? After all Balz did for him, Syn is nowhere to be found when Balz needs him.
Knowing Ward has at least three more BDB related books coming out this year, I feel like she threw this together just to get out the minimum number of pages she could get away with and put very little thought into who Balthazar is and what his background is. She had plenty of pages left to work with if she had wanted to. As someone who has been interested in the Bastards since day one, I’m beyond disappointed. Where is that Scottish brogue that they all began with? You can’t tell me that these 300 year old males have lost their accents and completely changed the way they speak after a few months living in the mansion. It comes down to laziness and not wanting to take the time to write him as his true self because she has too many other books to write. Sorry, but that is my opinion. As I said, for a $13 ebook and an author that had an amazing first 6-8 books, this is really disappointing and uninspired.
The good news is that overall this is a much better book than Lover Unveiled or The Jackal and Erika is much more likable than Nyx or Mae. Vishous seems back to his normal self rather than acting like a jealous teenage girl in The Wolf. There were some emotional moments and a fair amount of humor.
The bad news is that Erika is a human and I’m over it. If you’re creating a world where human mates can’t be turned, stop introducing so many humans. These males are killing off the race that they say they’re trying to save. Here come the expectations…. This is the shortest main book since Dark Lover. It’s barely over 400 pages long. There is absolutely no backstory on Balthazar. I don’t know a single thing about Balz that I didn’t already know. What was his family life like? Why did he leave them as a pretrans to go with Syn? Why is he a thief that robs from the rich and gives it to the poor? Why did he join the Bloodletter’s camp? How did he and Syn meet up with their cousin Syphon? We saw a few moments with Syphon but where was Syn? After all Balz did for him, Syn is nowhere to be found when Balz needs him.
Knowing Ward has at least three more BDB related books coming out this year, I feel like she threw this together just to get out the minimum number of pages she could get away with and put very little thought into who Balthazar is and what his background is. She had plenty of pages left to work with if she had wanted to. As someone who has been interested in the Bastards since day one, I’m beyond disappointed. Where is that Scottish brogue that they all began with? You can’t tell me that these 300 year old males have lost their accents and completely changed the way they speak after a few months living in the mansion. It comes down to laziness and not wanting to take the time to write him as his true self because she has too many other books to write. Sorry, but that is my opinion. As I said, for a $13 ebook and an author that had an amazing first 6-8 books, this is really disappointing and uninspired.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2022
Worst book out of them all. Worse than Syn's book. Worse than Phury's book.
Gah, I hated everything.
There was nothing in it that saved it. There was none of the fun banter that is usually in these books. Balthazar was flat, and his story was a third of the book. We got NO backstory, but we got a shitload of back story on his boring human love interest, who was also flat and uninteresting.
There was no HEA, just a random "let's stop this book in the middle of the freaking story." Stop giving them human partners if you can't come up with interesting ways in which they get to keep them for the length of time they get to live.
The entire book was filled with 2-dimensional characters.
What the hell happened to Lassiter? He is nothing like who he used to be.
Butch was in the book for about 3 scenes and didn't even get a line.
1 Star - I hate it.
I'm going to read the next one because of Lassiter, but seriously get your shit together, or get better ghostwriters.
Thank God I didn't pay for this shit.
Gah, I hated everything.
There was nothing in it that saved it. There was none of the fun banter that is usually in these books. Balthazar was flat, and his story was a third of the book. We got NO backstory, but we got a shitload of back story on his boring human love interest, who was also flat and uninteresting.
There was no HEA, just a random "let's stop this book in the middle of the freaking story." Stop giving them human partners if you can't come up with interesting ways in which they get to keep them for the length of time they get to live.
The entire book was filled with 2-dimensional characters.
What the hell happened to Lassiter? He is nothing like who he used to be.
Butch was in the book for about 3 scenes and didn't even get a line.
1 Star - I hate it.
I'm going to read the next one because of Lassiter, but seriously get your shit together, or get better ghostwriters.
Thank God I didn't pay for this shit.
April 24, 2022
I have been a fan of this series for a few years now, and I absolutely fell in love with the world that JR Ward created. However, the last two books in the series have drastically changed from what this series used to be, and sadly, not in a good way.
Focusing on this book in particular, it was a slow burn, which was disappointing for me, personally. BDB books used to feature someone getting action around 20% in, then the main couple would come together around 50% give or take, and then we'd get more connection between 80% and the rest of the book. Yeah, it was a predictable pattern, but being a romance/smut lover, I looked forward to it. In Lover Arisen, Balz and Erika didn't finally jump each others bones until mid 60% range, and even then it was interrupted. I think 70% or a smidge after is when they finally hit the sheets and stayed there. Don't get me wrong, the steam when it finally showed up was great. But I wanted more from this story. More of what I've come to love from previous books and less of what I saw when I read the FA series. I was missing the deeper romance and the I-can't-live-without-you desperation. Not to mention the overprotectiveness we usually get from the males. Oh, and also, NO BITING?! They're vampires! This is the first book where the MC wasn't thinking about sinking his teeth into his female! Tsk, tsk.
The gore level is cranked up now, which is on par with how the Fallen Angels series was written. It worked for that, but for readers of BDB who haven't read FA, it might come as a shock. We got this in Lover Unveiled, as well.
I was also getting tired of all the colloquialisms and phrasing and long-handed ways of describing menial tasks. I swear, it took nearly a whole paragraph to describe how someone walked from point A to point B. This is common for Ward's writing, and in the beginning, I thought it was creative, endearing, and I loved it; it separated her from other authors. But in this book, it's TOO much. Lover Arisen was also shorter than the others, and I bet if you shrank the colloquialisms down, we'd lose 50 pages, at least. I'm not a published author, so huge fans may get defensive when I critique her unique way of writing, but it was very, very distracting, and I ended up skimming over a lot of it.
Another thing her editors and Beta readers, if she has them, didn't catch, were pop culture references that don't actually exist in the BDB timeline. She made references to things that happen later than 2011/2012 which is when I believe this takes place, if I'm not mistaken. Movies that came out well after, and a book that Lassiter was reading that wasn't published until 2021. It gets confusing for the reader to remember when this is all supposed to be happening if there are references from recent years being used a decade before their time. This fact may be inconsequential in the end, but it seems like a miss on editing.
SPOILERS
Devina is diabolical, as villains are, but the rapey thing has GOT to go. I absolutely HATED that she defiled Lassiter like that (whether he did it willingly or not). I hated that she did the same with Balz and everyone else she's forced herself upon. She's a mentally deranged demon, and I get that's what makes her worthy of disdain, but for eff's sake, it's a bit much, and I'm not a fan. Now that she has Lash, well, maybe that will change, but again, she has a massive hole in her marble bag--which I have no doubt is made by Birkin--so I can't say for sure if she won't sexually violate another of our males.
I also do not, ever again, want to hear about Devina's purse collection. I struggled with finding good descriptors of Balz (as a reminder of what he looked like) and Erika (eventually I got hers) but if someone quizzed me on the entire 2010 or whenever Fall line of Birkin bags, I'd be able to tell them based on the pages and pages of obsessive writing on her fricken bags. In the FA series, she was obsessed with having 13 lipsticks of a specific shade, and she counted them often. A villain being as flawed as she, is actually interesting and imaginative, so I do like that aspect of her, but I don't need to be inside her head for more than a couple pages.
Here's what was missing from this story overall: Balthazar. Yes, he was the MC, and there was no shortage of him throughout the book. However, in the past, when a character got their own book, that character was the focus. We got to know his past, what shaped him into the male he is today, and here we get none of Balz's history at all. None of his experiences throughout centuries growing up with his cousins, being a thief, surviving and then joining the Band of Bastards, and his time with them. I was looking forward to learning more about him. Instead, his story was nonexistent and him and Erika felt like an afterthought. Backseat passengers in a novel that is a setup for Lassiter's book--which I am definitely excited about.
This series has me hooked. It wasn't enough to make me stop reading, I just miss the way it used to be.
Focusing on this book in particular, it was a slow burn, which was disappointing for me, personally. BDB books used to feature someone getting action around 20% in, then the main couple would come together around 50% give or take, and then we'd get more connection between 80% and the rest of the book. Yeah, it was a predictable pattern, but being a romance/smut lover, I looked forward to it. In Lover Arisen, Balz and Erika didn't finally jump each others bones until mid 60% range, and even then it was interrupted. I think 70% or a smidge after is when they finally hit the sheets and stayed there. Don't get me wrong, the steam when it finally showed up was great. But I wanted more from this story. More of what I've come to love from previous books and less of what I saw when I read the FA series. I was missing the deeper romance and the I-can't-live-without-you desperation. Not to mention the overprotectiveness we usually get from the males. Oh, and also, NO BITING?! They're vampires! This is the first book where the MC wasn't thinking about sinking his teeth into his female! Tsk, tsk.
The gore level is cranked up now, which is on par with how the Fallen Angels series was written. It worked for that, but for readers of BDB who haven't read FA, it might come as a shock. We got this in Lover Unveiled, as well.
I was also getting tired of all the colloquialisms and phrasing and long-handed ways of describing menial tasks. I swear, it took nearly a whole paragraph to describe how someone walked from point A to point B. This is common for Ward's writing, and in the beginning, I thought it was creative, endearing, and I loved it; it separated her from other authors. But in this book, it's TOO much. Lover Arisen was also shorter than the others, and I bet if you shrank the colloquialisms down, we'd lose 50 pages, at least. I'm not a published author, so huge fans may get defensive when I critique her unique way of writing, but it was very, very distracting, and I ended up skimming over a lot of it.
Another thing her editors and Beta readers, if she has them, didn't catch, were pop culture references that don't actually exist in the BDB timeline. She made references to things that happen later than 2011/2012 which is when I believe this takes place, if I'm not mistaken. Movies that came out well after, and a book that Lassiter was reading that wasn't published until 2021. It gets confusing for the reader to remember when this is all supposed to be happening if there are references from recent years being used a decade before their time. This fact may be inconsequential in the end, but it seems like a miss on editing.
SPOILERS
Devina is diabolical, as villains are, but the rapey thing has GOT to go. I absolutely HATED that she defiled Lassiter like that (whether he did it willingly or not). I hated that she did the same with Balz and everyone else she's forced herself upon. She's a mentally deranged demon, and I get that's what makes her worthy of disdain, but for eff's sake, it's a bit much, and I'm not a fan. Now that she has Lash, well, maybe that will change, but again, she has a massive hole in her marble bag--which I have no doubt is made by Birkin--so I can't say for sure if she won't sexually violate another of our males.
I also do not, ever again, want to hear about Devina's purse collection. I struggled with finding good descriptors of Balz (as a reminder of what he looked like) and Erika (eventually I got hers) but if someone quizzed me on the entire 2010 or whenever Fall line of Birkin bags, I'd be able to tell them based on the pages and pages of obsessive writing on her fricken bags. In the FA series, she was obsessed with having 13 lipsticks of a specific shade, and she counted them often. A villain being as flawed as she, is actually interesting and imaginative, so I do like that aspect of her, but I don't need to be inside her head for more than a couple pages.
Here's what was missing from this story overall: Balthazar. Yes, he was the MC, and there was no shortage of him throughout the book. However, in the past, when a character got their own book, that character was the focus. We got to know his past, what shaped him into the male he is today, and here we get none of Balz's history at all. None of his experiences throughout centuries growing up with his cousins, being a thief, surviving and then joining the Band of Bastards, and his time with them. I was looking forward to learning more about him. Instead, his story was nonexistent and him and Erika felt like an afterthought. Backseat passengers in a novel that is a setup for Lassiter's book--which I am definitely excited about.
This series has me hooked. It wasn't enough to make me stop reading, I just miss the way it used to be.
March 24, 2022
Alrighty folks, this review is going to be all over the place so bear with me. Here are my initial thoughts from the first 30% of Lover Arisen.
Incredible. I mean, really freaking great! It feels like Ward’s original storytelling from the first three books in the series. It’s back to being meater, grittier, chaos in leather that comes with a new sense of mystery and engagement. I’m inspired to reread Dark Lover again from this experience. She's got me googling Birkin bags!
It's a punch you in the face, action-filled plot with a story-driven rhythm that makes me crave more. I mean really guys, I can’t get over how good this is.
Here are my immediate thoughts once I finished...
I was standing in my shower not even 30 minutes after finishing Lover Arisen trying to get my thoughts together. To figure out exactly what I wanted to say and then like a burst of sublime sunshine I figured... why don’t I just say that? Lover Arisen has left me standing in the shower trying to make sense of all the interconnecting relationships Lover Arisen has. I am trying to wash away this feeling of sadness I have for a beloved character. I feel heartbroken and a little confused and concerned about what’s to come where they are concerned. But I know this is just a setup for an epic love story later on. I just hope it’s sooner rather than later. Having said that, the main coupling and storyline of Lover Arisen is straight up my alley. It’s the mystery, the cat and mouse, the sleuthing, and the gritty street-pounding sidewalks of Caldwell that I have truly missed from the very first book in the series. It was like breathing that mystery and mayhem all over again. But yet having that familiarity of being a series-long lover of all things Black Dagger Brotherhood. I don’t know, I feel like I’m rambling, but that’s what a good book does. It mixed up my emotions and has thrown me back into a different space and time. I have these heartfelt emotional responses to things in the past books yet it's all right here in front of me on the page. Just an all-new form.
I simply love the direction the series is going into. I feel like it wandered a bit in the past but now we are packed in a mack truck and we’re hurtling down this highway. I feel the need to grab onto something because I just know it’s going to rip out my heart in the best possible way. I didn’t laugh as much as I normally do with Wards books. I kept getting this nervous gut-wrenching feeling, my breath would falter, and my eyes would tear up. I kept getting heart palpitations and all I could think was... fu@k... this is good.
5 Stars! Let the count down for the next book begin.
~Tanja
*ARC provided by the publisher
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Incredible. I mean, really freaking great! It feels like Ward’s original storytelling from the first three books in the series. It’s back to being meater, grittier, chaos in leather that comes with a new sense of mystery and engagement. I’m inspired to reread Dark Lover again from this experience. She's got me googling Birkin bags!
It's a punch you in the face, action-filled plot with a story-driven rhythm that makes me crave more. I mean really guys, I can’t get over how good this is.
Here are my immediate thoughts once I finished...
I was standing in my shower not even 30 minutes after finishing Lover Arisen trying to get my thoughts together. To figure out exactly what I wanted to say and then like a burst of sublime sunshine I figured... why don’t I just say that? Lover Arisen has left me standing in the shower trying to make sense of all the interconnecting relationships Lover Arisen has. I am trying to wash away this feeling of sadness I have for a beloved character. I feel heartbroken and a little confused and concerned about what’s to come where they are concerned. But I know this is just a setup for an epic love story later on. I just hope it’s sooner rather than later. Having said that, the main coupling and storyline of Lover Arisen is straight up my alley. It’s the mystery, the cat and mouse, the sleuthing, and the gritty street-pounding sidewalks of Caldwell that I have truly missed from the very first book in the series. It was like breathing that mystery and mayhem all over again. But yet having that familiarity of being a series-long lover of all things Black Dagger Brotherhood. I don’t know, I feel like I’m rambling, but that’s what a good book does. It mixed up my emotions and has thrown me back into a different space and time. I have these heartfelt emotional responses to things in the past books yet it's all right here in front of me on the page. Just an all-new form.
I simply love the direction the series is going into. I feel like it wandered a bit in the past but now we are packed in a mack truck and we’re hurtling down this highway. I feel the need to grab onto something because I just know it’s going to rip out my heart in the best possible way. I didn’t laugh as much as I normally do with Wards books. I kept getting this nervous gut-wrenching feeling, my breath would falter, and my eyes would tear up. I kept getting heart palpitations and all I could think was... fu@k... this is good.
5 Stars! Let the count down for the next book begin.
~Tanja
*ARC provided by the publisher
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April 8, 2022
Read this review on Fresh Fiction
Major game changers are happening in LOVER ARISEN, the latest Black Dagger Brotherhood book to come from J.R. Ward. Since one of the major story arcs has come to a close, Ward takes this opportunity to create new adventures and dangers for her well-loved characters, making this a book that you don’t want to miss.
If you’re new to the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, I always suggest reading the books from the very beginning as this is a complex series that spans several books as well as several series. But if you’re like me and are a fan of Ward’s writing, you’ll come to appreciate the intricacy of her writing. There’s a lot to love when it comes to her unique, upbeat narration as well as her hotter-than-hell heroes.
This is Balthazar’s book and while I was interested in him in the beginning, I began to see him in a better light and fell for him hard by the end of this book. I also think the heroine, Erika, brought a fierceness to the book that I really loved. I’ve always been a fan of Ward’s style of heroine and Erika is no exception.
This book reminds me of why I fell in love with the Paranormal Romance genre. With lots of action, twists and turns, and of course, steaming-hot romance, LOVER ARISEN is a guaranteed good read!
Major game changers are happening in LOVER ARISEN, the latest Black Dagger Brotherhood book to come from J.R. Ward. Since one of the major story arcs has come to a close, Ward takes this opportunity to create new adventures and dangers for her well-loved characters, making this a book that you don’t want to miss.
If you’re new to the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, I always suggest reading the books from the very beginning as this is a complex series that spans several books as well as several series. But if you’re like me and are a fan of Ward’s writing, you’ll come to appreciate the intricacy of her writing. There’s a lot to love when it comes to her unique, upbeat narration as well as her hotter-than-hell heroes.
This is Balthazar’s book and while I was interested in him in the beginning, I began to see him in a better light and fell for him hard by the end of this book. I also think the heroine, Erika, brought a fierceness to the book that I really loved. I’ve always been a fan of Ward’s style of heroine and Erika is no exception.
This book reminds me of why I fell in love with the Paranormal Romance genre. With lots of action, twists and turns, and of course, steaming-hot romance, LOVER ARISEN is a guaranteed good read!
Want to read
June 20, 2021Balthazar? Possibly...
April 28, 2022
2 Stars... because WTF!!! Oh yeah.. there are spoilers...because really.. WTF!!
Ok.. I picked up Dark Lover years upon years ago.. I liked it so much that I finished the book and turned around and started reading again. My local bookstore would get JRW's books early, like a week or so.. That was how I got through Lover Eternal & Lover Awakened before the release dates.. OMG both those books.. I didn't like Lover Eternal as much as Lover Awakened because Z... & Tohr... OMG. That is how far back I have been into this series... I tried the fallen angels without much success.
But this... what in all HELL did JRW think while she wrote this? How did she get this together and think it was a good read?
Balthazar is getting forced against his will by a demon, Devina.. Said demon goes on to throw a leg over Lassiter and break him up mentally.. Lassiter gives the Scribe V replacement, Rahvyn, the heave ho so he can toss himself onto the pyre for a deal with Devina.. even though Rahvyn was his love. Ugh.. What a crapfest.... I wanted to stop it right there... The whole thing with Elena was better served without the Lassiter/ Devina mess in the background. And his book is next? Rahvyn is off in nevernever land with the creepy book that feels remorse for what?... getting Devina together with a reincarnated Lash? We all remember what a fun sponge that monster was.. & what he did to xHex, & killing off the glymara..
I mean, where is this going? Its like riding a psychotic horse towards a burning stable!!!
Ok.. I picked up Dark Lover years upon years ago.. I liked it so much that I finished the book and turned around and started reading again. My local bookstore would get JRW's books early, like a week or so.. That was how I got through Lover Eternal & Lover Awakened before the release dates.. OMG both those books.. I didn't like Lover Eternal as much as Lover Awakened because Z... & Tohr... OMG. That is how far back I have been into this series... I tried the fallen angels without much success.
But this... what in all HELL did JRW think while she wrote this? How did she get this together and think it was a good read?
Balthazar is getting forced against his will by a demon, Devina.. Said demon goes on to throw a leg over Lassiter and break him up mentally.. Lassiter gives the Scribe V replacement, Rahvyn, the heave ho so he can toss himself onto the pyre for a deal with Devina.. even though Rahvyn was his love. Ugh.. What a crapfest.... I wanted to stop it right there... The whole thing with Elena was better served without the Lassiter/ Devina mess in the background. And his book is next? Rahvyn is off in nevernever land with the creepy book that feels remorse for what?... getting Devina together with a reincarnated Lash? We all remember what a fun sponge that monster was.. & what he did to xHex, & killing off the glymara..
I mean, where is this going? Its like riding a psychotic horse towards a burning stable!!!
May 26, 2021
I just can't get enough of this series. I really love how so many facets of the story and the different characters both past and present intertwine to produce the end result. Looking forward to the next book already!
May 1, 2022
This was another amazing addition to the Black Dagger Brotherhood series!! There was a kind of bittersweet feeling for me at the end. 😏
I was ecstatic that Balthazar and Erika got their hea but at a huge sacrifice 💔 for one of the other characters. There were many serious and angst moments, probably more in this book than the others in the series.
I respected Erika because she gave Balthazar the benefit of the doubt while hearing him out instead of just judging him. It was wonderful to see his soft and bonding side and his gratitude for the brothers and Lassiter for helping him and Erika.
Devina was true to form a devious, cunning and scheming demon! I do have to admit even though I didn't like her she made me laugh 😂 quite a few times during her temper tantrums 😤
J.R.Ward always amazes me with her creativity and the surprises she puts in this series and others, I will be waiting for the next one....
I was ecstatic that Balthazar and Erika got their hea but at a huge sacrifice 💔 for one of the other characters. There were many serious and angst moments, probably more in this book than the others in the series.
I respected Erika because she gave Balthazar the benefit of the doubt while hearing him out instead of just judging him. It was wonderful to see his soft and bonding side and his gratitude for the brothers and Lassiter for helping him and Erika.
Devina was true to form a devious, cunning and scheming demon! I do have to admit even though I didn't like her she made me laugh 😂 quite a few times during her temper tantrums 😤
J.R.Ward always amazes me with her creativity and the surprises she puts in this series and others, I will be waiting for the next one....
April 6, 2022
3,5 ★
It was nice to be back with my favorite vampires but sad to say I'm not fully satisfied.
First of all, this new direction of the world-built of BDB was a bit confusing to me. There were new - somewhat interesting - layers but weren't fully unwrapped and explored. Plus, as I hate Devina and with the fire of a thousand suns, almost 1/3 of this story was a pure struggle for me. I enjoyed the other 1/3 - Erika & Balthazar's part -, however same scenes, especially their smexy times, felt like a copy-and-paste from previous novels, also, I would love to get a deeper backstory for Balz and a richer romance growth between them. The rest of the book was okay, I guess.
I liked Lover Arisen because I like this series, these characters, but I didn't feel that real, happy rush.
April 17, 2022
One of the worst
This book was so convoluted and disjointed. There were 4 story lines going on with 5 different characters and I didn't have a clue of what was going on. The development of the stories and the characters was incomplete. And poor Lassiter? How could you do if like thst. And Rayvn? Come on. I expect better. This book was trash. This author just threw something together and hoped it would stick. Didn't work. I'm very disappointed.
This book was so convoluted and disjointed. There were 4 story lines going on with 5 different characters and I didn't have a clue of what was going on. The development of the stories and the characters was incomplete. And poor Lassiter? How could you do if like thst. And Rayvn? Come on. I expect better. This book was trash. This author just threw something together and hoped it would stick. Didn't work. I'm very disappointed.
April 25, 2022
THIS WAS A COMPLETE LET DOWN, wish Ward would get back to the way she used to write these books, the brotherhood, the steamy/intense romance and sex, the kind of reading that had your emotions all over the place. Sadly, I couldnt even finish this book, it got so frustrating. It has 3 stories going and each chapter went from one story to the next. EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER CHANGED TO NEXT STORY, UGH.
I got over three quarters through the book an finally Baltazar and the Detective just get to kissing and then when I thought it was going to at least stay on them, it goes to another chapter and another story..OMG so frustrating. What is Baltazar's story, how did he get into the Bastards and become a theif, where is the build up between the MC's and why all this cross storylines with the other characters that didnt seem to have much story at all, except maybe Devina's side of the story. Where was the romance, the steamy sex, the brotherhood. Again, this was a major let down, praying that when Lassiter's book comes out next, that the writting and storylines go back to the way Ward did the first 10 books in this series. I'll have to finish it at some point so I can keep up with the next book but man, this was just too frustrating to finish.
I was so desperate to get back into the BDB world.... I started with Dark Lover, the first book to get my BDB fix. OMG, see this was the Ward writing that I fell in love with, 80% of the book was about the two MC, the side reads (other characters) all played into the story that was being written. The intensity in the romance, the story itself had debth, fallin in love with these vampires all over again.
I got over three quarters through the book an finally Baltazar and the Detective just get to kissing and then when I thought it was going to at least stay on them, it goes to another chapter and another story..OMG so frustrating. What is Baltazar's story, how did he get into the Bastards and become a theif, where is the build up between the MC's and why all this cross storylines with the other characters that didnt seem to have much story at all, except maybe Devina's side of the story. Where was the romance, the steamy sex, the brotherhood. Again, this was a major let down, praying that when Lassiter's book comes out next, that the writting and storylines go back to the way Ward did the first 10 books in this series. I'll have to finish it at some point so I can keep up with the next book but man, this was just too frustrating to finish.
I was so desperate to get back into the BDB world.... I started with Dark Lover, the first book to get my BDB fix. OMG, see this was the Ward writing that I fell in love with, 80% of the book was about the two MC, the side reads (other characters) all played into the story that was being written. The intensity in the romance, the story itself had debth, fallin in love with these vampires all over again.
February 19, 2023
Ay yi yi, what has this series turned into?!?
Many will agree that there's been an obvious dip in quality from the OG group of 6, but I've enjoyed a number of the in-between books with the ever-expanding cast of characters and, yes, I did enjoy a handful of snippets from this latest one but it's just becoming too much - too many pop culture references, too many POVs (seriously, there were 9 here), too much exposition (and non-pertinent stuff - where was the backstory on Balthazar? We learn absolutely nothing about him), too many CW: rather than love scenes.
I'm really only sticking this out for Lassiter's book, because he's been done dirty at this point and deserves a character resuscitation from what he's been made into.
Disappointingly, it's just a whole lot of nothing.
Many will agree that there's been an obvious dip in quality from the OG group of 6, but I've enjoyed a number of the in-between books with the ever-expanding cast of characters and, yes, I did enjoy a handful of snippets from this latest one but it's just becoming too much - too many pop culture references, too many POVs (seriously, there were 9 here), too much exposition (and non-pertinent stuff - where was the backstory on Balthazar? We learn absolutely nothing about him), too many CW: rather than love scenes.
I'm really only sticking this out for Lassiter's book, because he's been done dirty at this point and deserves a character resuscitation from what he's been made into.
Disappointingly, it's just a whole lot of nothing.
August 15, 2022
Very good. I didn’t know this specific character was going to be the star of this book, but I liked his and Erika’s story. No cliffhanger, but the stage is set for more. Nice twist in the series.
“That was life, though. For all the choices consciously made, there were forces at work under the ground of daily and nightly existence, deep aquifers of fate that drove an existence that fluctuated in and out of happiness, sorrow, boredom, fear, up above.”
“That was life, though. For all the choices consciously made, there were forces at work under the ground of daily and nightly existence, deep aquifers of fate that drove an existence that fluctuated in and out of happiness, sorrow, boredom, fear, up above.”
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