Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward

Black Dagger Brotherhood, #3
PARANORMAL ROAMNCE

Source: Purchased
rating

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Of these, Zsadist is the most terrifying member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion—until he rescues a beautiful aristocrat from the evil Lessening Society.

Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for one another begins to overtake them both, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now, Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past, and find a future with her…

I'm just going to decide this series isn't for me. I've read the first, now the third, and there's no urge to keep riding this ride. I think it's a me thing - I just am NOT into the whole tortured-emo-save-me-now hero vibe. It's a turn-off.

'Lover Awakened' only interested me when others besides the main couple were around. Since it was mainly focused on the main couple, well...

Zsadist may have a genuine tragic story, but a plot that does not make. His bond with Beth was just annoying. He couldn't accept it and I know it's supposed to be because of this psychologically tortured life (couldn't they have gotten any therapy or personal growth in all that time of a long lifespan??), but it grew tedious quickly. If I were Beth I would have hit the road way beforehand, but they're tied because of a chosen bond...fine, I liked fated-to-be-mated pairings usually, but I could care less about Beth and Z. It made little sense to me, all the drowning guilt through any joining was just emotionally cloying, and I'd rather tear my hair out than read scenes of them being together again.

The only good parts of the book were some small scenes between V and Butch, John and where he's headed as a newbie who has a lot to discover, that gloriously well-written and seriously tragic scene with Tohr hearing life-changing news in front of John from the brothers. That brought it up half a star in itself.

There's no point for me to continue since it seems to be that this series is aimed at brooding, negative and pity-me heroes. It's true I can stomach some PR books like Carpathians from Christine Feehan, but at least when they met their mate they became confident and self-assured they wanted the woman in the first place.

Lover Awakened was mainly Beth trying to chase Z around convincing him they were a good idea in the first place. If he's not invested, I certainly can't be.




   Similar Reviews: