JR Ward – Lover Eternal
Genre: Paranormal
Book 2 in the Black Dagger Brotherhood
ISBN: 0-451-21804-3
Releasedate: March 2006
Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc.
Format owned: HC Rhapsody & MPB
For sale at: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetite. He's the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover-for inside him burns a ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin.

Possessed by this dark side, Rhage fears the times when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him. When Mary Luce is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world, she must rely on Rhage's protection. Knowing that Mary feels the same intense animal attraction, Rhage must make her his alone...

REVIEW
OMG!!! I love this series. Wrath and Beth had me shook up and hooked onto this series but Rhage and Mary have me hung to their story like bees to honey! I just had to spend my every free moment reading on : it captivated me - even had me dreaming about the brotherhood! I'm still in awe. Ofcourse I needed a box full of paper tissues! When a story does that to me... than it's a sublime high for me!

JR Ward has created such an immense wonderful brotherhood with warriors that (I anyway) long to meet in my life - even if it's just once - but then again I know I wouldn't go for less knowing these beautiful gorgeous warriors would walk around for real...

The lesser-part is something it can do without because the story itself is so strong! In the end of this story it blended in more into knowing why it is mentioned in this series, but JR Ward writes in such a magnificent way. The love story woven into it is so strong that it doesn't need it, but strangely enought it does fit...

What keeps me brilliantly into this series is that towards the end of each story you are left with a cliffhanger. Eventhough Rhage and Mary were the centre of this story, towards the ending Zsadist and Bella encounter eachother; and knowing Zsadist's story is next; I am left eager to start in it. And what's up with Butch and Marissa? Their story is coming in a few months - sigh - how can I waith that long?!! But I have to say Vishous captured my heart!!!!

JR Ward is brilliant in the way she has written this series. It's like following a series on TV that you're really into - ie. for me 'Prisonbreak'. You just can't wait till you see the next episode to know what's coming!!

Although it did fit in this story, especially when you get to know Rhage's curse a bit - my love-thirst heart took a turn and screamed 'Noooo!!' When Rhage did something and only hours later declared Mary his love for her. It did fit into the whole story; it all strangely fitted like a glove. It was like reading/going through an emotional roller-coaster. And when Rhage went to the Scribe Virgin with his request and the conditions she had laid out, 'a box of tissues' wasn't enough anymore. At some point I remember crying and laughing at the same time.

The following quote left me wondering once again 'is Jesus his own father???'

"And she would have been convinced the mother of God had been under those black robes just now."
Rhage replied : "Actually, that was the Scribe Virgin. Who's a lot of things, but not Jesus's mom. At least, not as far as our lexicon goes."
I always thought that God and the Virgin Mary created Jesus -> so they were his father and mother - making God and Mary in some wicked way lovers; if not, this whole thing is twisted....

Hmmm now this is going to bug me all week....

5 Stars

JR Ward – Dark Lover

Genre: Paranormal
Book 1 in the Black Dagger Brotherhood
ISBN: 0-451-21695-4
Releasedate: September 2005
Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc.
Format owned: HC Rhapsody & MPB
For sale at: The Book Depository Store

Synopsis
In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.

The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams.

REVIEW
Lately I have read so many vampire-novels that I thought 'oh no, not another one'. But I heard so much about the Black Dagger Brotherhood Warriors that my senses started tingling, my hands started shaking and my mind kept saying: 'read-it; read-it; read-it'. I finally gave in and all I can say is: "Yes I am truly and utterly a self-confessed Vampire-addict with a thirst for more". And after reading Dark Lover, on top of it all I have a hunger for Rhage; a longing for Zsadist...you get my point. Especially those who have also read this series, I'm hooked!!!!

I had some trouble at first getting the glossary fixed in my head, because, lets face it, all vampire novels have that good/bad world combined in one, but all authors want their own terms to make them different from all the rest. But once I got the hang of it I got sucked in the story.Wrath and Beth are great characters. Beth is a very strong self-reliant woman and with all the testosteron "me tarzan, you jane" Alpha Males in this series that is exactly what this novel needed to make it spectacular. Sparks flying around from the moment BEth and Wrath meet. Let's be honest, don't we all long for that instant chemistry that leads to great sex?! Not you??? Well I say : I do!!!The story is marvellous, absolutely formidable, but... always that small but... what kept slowing me down while reading it was the whole Lesser-section in between. It felt like a novel within the novel and not something that was actually part of the story. There were connecting points - yes - but it didn't do it for me. Towards the end it came together a bit more, but the parts in between didn't connect as a whole story. I've been told this will be better in part 2 & 3 of this series.

Despite all the Vampire Series out there after reading this book, I felt like JR Ward has turned it around in a whole new packeage/scenery which makes it interesting, fun, and refreshing. I really loved the way she has written it and although some rough language is used in a way I thought 'isn't it a bit much' but then realized that it suits the Warriors so perfectly. What however did bother me a bit was, that sometimes abbreviations were used like : BMOC handsome; and like BVD's underwear - I mean I never heard of those before and I lived in Ireland.... Maybe she should have put those in her glossary as well... just for those outside the USA who are not common with them.

But all in all JR Ward has claimed her way into my heart with these superb Warriors. Definitely an author who has all my praise!!!! I couldn't wait to start in the next novel so (cheeky grin) I already have and all I can say is hmmmm yummy!!!!

4 Stars