Genre: Paranormal
Book 4 in the Blackdagger Brotherhood
ISBN: 0-451-41235-5
Releasedate: March 6, 2007
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Format owned: HC Rhapsody & MPB
For sale at: The Book Depository Store

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

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

REVIEW
My heart just beated a few beats faster when in the first few pages Vishous phoned Butch. The BDB Warriors have returned! Oh what a feeling. As soon as I had my hands on this book my heart stood still for a moment, anxiety hit me as well as fear.

This is the book.
The one.
No. 4.

It’s the book that makes it to a series and can make it or break it. I had some doubts, do I want to read it with the chance I’d lose that feeling I had with the first 3 novels, but Vishous kept whispering in my ear : “I won’t let you down! Just read and feel me…”

No who can say no to that? So I took that leap of faith, I trusted my warrior and OMFG! It’s been a few days since I read the last words of this novel and I’m still on a high!!!!

Yet again JR Ward has putt down words into a phenomenal story/ Such intense emotions between the characters, not just between Butch and Marissa but between all of them! Even in this novel the whole ‘Lessers-part’ makes a perfect fit. It’s so amazing to see all of the characters grow in this series. Even though there’s a certain timeframe within this story, it’s brilliantly written ~ every character goes through their own changes within this time-frame but in their own paste.

I just devoured this book as quickly as I could. It feels like within every scene you can connect with every person in it and feel what they fel and that to me is perfection! JR Ward has outdone herself with this novel and promises a lot for the next book in line!

It just all fits amazingly together. The interaction that exists between Butch-Vishous-Marissa has captured me, embraced me, made me laugh with joy because a bond like that is rare and to be cherished, but also made me cry because of V’s insecurity about it all, and his low self-esteem just broke my heart!!!

It’s yet again an emotional rollercoaster.

I’m barren for words. There’s so much to say about this book, but it will all be spoilers. The Scribe Virgins role in this book (eventhough she doesn’t appear frequently) is so unique, despite the fact that it’s so small.

And ofcourse another brilliant new ritual. What I find is great as well is to see how John is feeling and how he is growing towards his transition. To see from scratch how a warrior comes to be, I think, is amazing and adds so much more to the series. It’s already a built up to what will happen after the 6 original warriors.

I’m just baffled by it and feel an emptiness now that I’ve finished this book because it kept me in it’s grib for 3 days. But it’s time to sober up, come back to earth and live my “normal” life again till Vishous’s novel is vibrating in my hands!

Quote:
Butch when struck down in the floor in the hospitals bathroom and V asking if he’s back:
“For sure, I’m thinking about a future in contracting. Wanted to see how this bathroom was put together. Excellent tile work. You should check it. I want to look at the sink pipes next."

4,5 Stars