Awwww Reading this one is always a joy, though it is sorrow as well, depends on which chapter you're on.. I've read and re-read this book so many times! or at least certain scenes that leave me just breathless. I love Zsadist, I love Bella and their relationship though it took it quite a long time to build is absolutely beautiful.
This book is the amazing love story between Bella and Zsadist. On the first book of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Z is mainly considered to be soulless bastard, on the second book we have a little more glimpses into who he is and we understand that he is mostly a broken guy who went through hell and back and didn't really return. Even though the surrounding aren't of hell he took hell into him and he lived this way for many years. Phury sums it up nicely when he tells Bella on the previous book -
" My twin's not broken. He's ruined. Do you understand the difference? With broken, maybe you can fix things. Ruined? All you can do is wait to bury him "
Back in the previous book, Bella and Z meet for the first time when she comes into the compound with Marry and John Matthew. He mostly spooks her but he also leaves some sort of an impression she is unable to ignore or forget. They have one more rendezvous in the vampire's mansion when she is invited to a "party" held for Marry. She tries talking with Z and later on even goes to his room but what goes on there leaves her confused. It leaves HIM confused as well. He is so very sorry he behaved as he did but he doesn't know what to do now. He vows he would keep an eye on her but he doesn't get the chance to do that as she is taken by the Lesser O.
Z is obsessed with finding Bella. He goes into her house on a daily basis, he tries "asking around" (torturing lessers before tearing them to little pieces) and when she is found he just takes her into his room and announces he is the one to take care of her. But not too long after that he realizes he is incapable of giving her what she needs and he starts thinking maybe she should be with his twin brother - his better half.. Too bad all she wants is him.. Z is trying to do the "right thing" by her but really he just hurts Phury (who want her but keeps being rejected by her) and her (who doesn't understand why he is throwing her at his twin...).
The whole interaction between the three of them is just heart breaking. You get all of them apart and all of them together. You tear up when you hear of Z's past and what Phury did for him back then but also what he is willing to do for his twin now, how much Phury isn't really living but doing what he does to make sure his brother survives. Zsadist isn't living as well, he just goes through the motions since he can't kill himself (though he does torture himself and goes through suicidal collisions with their enemy). Bella on the other hand wants him. She really does, in the beginning before her abduction she might have wanted him because he was dangerous, an adventure, but a lot have happened and as she unravels all the things he has been through she just wants to love him, cherish him and make him whole. and if anyone can do that you'd think she is the one but I think you'll get a good surprise about this concept in the end :)
I could have highlighted practically every interaction, conversation or sexual scene between them. If you think that Holder and Sky's first kiss on "Hopeless" by Colleen Hoover is the most amazing first kiss scene let me correct you - Bella and Zsadist first kiss was EPIC. I'll just give you a small glimpse into that one -
" Fear and gratitude and something altogether warm squeezed her chest. On impulse, she leaned in and kissed him on the lips.
He jerked back with a hiss, eyes wider than if she'd slapped him.
Oh, hell. Why had she done that? "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I—"
"No, it's cool. We're cool." He rolled onto his back and lifted his hand to his mouth. His fingers rubbed back and forth across his lips, like he was wiping her off him.
When she sighed good and hard, he said, "What's the matter?"
"Am I so distasteful?"
He dropped his arm. "No."
What a lie. "Maybe I'll get you a washcloth, how about that?"
When she would have shot out of bed, his hand clamped on her arm. "That was my first kiss, okay? I just didn't expect it."
Bella stopped breathing. How was that possible?
"Oh, for chrissakes, don't look at me like that." He let go and went back to staring at the ceiling.
His first kiss… "Zsadist?"
"What."
"Will you let me do that again?" " (Chapter 20)
Actually that whole chapter was just, well, amazing in so many ways.. I love how even though he tries to keep her at an arms length he just keeps doing what she wants because he can't really say no to her (unless she presses his "sore points".. then he is just out of there)
" "I'm not terribly hungry," she murmured.
He pushed the tray closer to her. "Eat anyway."
When she started in on the chicken again, he took the two apples and walked across the room. He bit into one and sank down to the floor, sitting cross-legged with his eyes lowered. One arm settled across his stomach as he chewed.
"Did you have dinner downstairs?" she asked.
He shook his head and took another hunk out of the apple, the crack ricocheting around the room.
"Is that all you'll have?" When he shrugged, she muttered, "And you're telling me to eat?"
"Yeah, I am. So why don't you get back to work there, female."
"You don't like chicken?"
"I don't like food." His eyes never wavered from the floor, but his voice got pushier. "Now eat."
"Why don't you like food?"
"Can't trust it," he said tightly. "Unless you make it yourself, or can see it whole, you don't know what's in it."
"Why do you think someone would tamper—"
"Have I mentioned how much I don't like talking?"
"Will you sleep beside me tonight?" She blurted out the request, figuring she'd better get her answer before he shut up completely.
His brows flickered. "You really want that?"
"Yes, I do."
"Then, yeah. I will." "
So yeah. he's being a little bit of a douche here as well, but he is really confused about the whole situation. He doesn't know what to do with her, how to make her "well" or "better" after what she's being through and she just feels safe with him so she isn't willing to let him go either and naturally when feelings start to get in the picture.. you'd be surprised what Zsadist will be going through! But he sure takes his time with it.
I'm going to stop writing about Z and Bella right now because otherwise it's going to be the longest review ever and I might start quoting WAY to much hehe
So lets go to the sub plots!
As usual we have the annoying O. He is SUCH a bastard! When he doesn't get his way with Bella he does something else, something heart shattering. So if you thought this book is sad because of what Zsadist went through, Bella being held prisoner and Phury right smack in the middle of everything - think again. Ward was in a mean mood throughout this one..
John Matthew is more present in this book. He goes to live with Thor and Wellsie and has a lot more interactions with the brothers. We get to hear about his bloodline and thus a secret is unraveled even if it's not mentioned specifically is quite obvious. His character goes through a lot in this book, he goes through a lot of new beginning, living in a house with a feeling of a family, the training at the compound, being interested for the first time in a girl. He's such a sweet kid! when I think about him in the next books I kinda forgot how vulnerable he used to be, how innocent. There is something nice reading about someone before his transition and later on what made him into who he is. With the other brothers it's different. We get the background through the history they remember but we don't get to "live it" through several books and see how they evolve. I guess that's another reason he is one of the most loved warriors in the series.
We get a little of Butch and Marrisa. It's actually quite sad since it's going no where. and what will they do together anyway, ha? he's not a vampire, she is form a very high ranking family. and I guess Butches place in general is a little strange. The brothers like him, he is like a true brother to V and yet he is still not really with them. he is just somehow beside them. The next book is of him. right before the end we have a very interesting scene with him and V that is a little idea that you should think about before the next one :)
We also get Rehv's POV who is Bella's brother but he is a little more than that.. At the beginning you just think he's a douche but I think as you understand the state that he is in you start to realize he's not such a bad guy after all. and I promise once you'll get HIS story he'll be one of your favorite as well! I do think that Z and Rehv are the most tormented of the characters, their background story is also the most interesting one.
There is s a little bit of Phury's POV. Mainly you get how tormented he is, how, why, where, when he is willing to sacrifice for his twin brother. I think in this book you mainly feel sorry for him. Your heart is breaking to read how much he wants Bella yet he will do anything and everything to help his brother get her, be with her. All he wants is for his brother to LIVE, but really live. He is the most senseless person. Unfortunately this impression of him starts to fade in the next books so though I really enjoyed (while aching) reading about him in this one it doesn't really "last" in the next books.
I think this is probably the best book in the series. It has so much going on in there. and there is a lot of very important information for the next few books of Rehv, John, Thor, Butch, Phury and a little bit of V. and as I've already said - THE love story. a very hard and painful one but the best one could possibly ask for.
One last thing. Don't listen to the Audio Book.. just don't.. Since there is no distinction what-so-ever between the characters (male/female also) it's really hard to understand / get / remember who's who and who said what. It's SUCH an amazing book, read it and I"m sure you'll re-read it and not try to listen to it again.
Additional Details: Audiobook, 15:12 Hours, 4-6 March 2014 / On GoodReads
ABOUT THE MCs
Zsadist
Son
of Ahgony, is the scarred, menacing Brother. Taken as an infant from
his family, he is forced into blood and sexual slavery until his twin,
Phury, rescues him a century later. He was described as being "ruined,
not broken" by all those who knew him prior to his meeting the
beautiful, aristocratic vampire Bella. His transformation from tortured
soul to Bella's hellren (husband) is told in Lover Awakened (BDB #3).
Zsadist and Bella have a young daughter, Nalla (told in a short novella
"Father Mine" BDB #6.5). In addition, his eyes, once black as pitch,
have regained the same yellow-gold of his twin's, reflecting the change
that Bella and Nalla brought about in him.
Bella
Born
to an aristocratic family and was Mary's neighbor until she was
captured by a deadly lesser named David. She is Rehvenge's younger
sister and Zsadist's shellan, their story is told in Lover Awakened (BDB
#3). They have a daughter, Nalla, whom for the first few months after
her birth Zsadist avoided touching for fear of his past tainting her.
The three finally become a family in the novella "Father Mine" (BDB
#6.5).
ABOUT THIS SERIES
The Black Dagger Brotherhood is a Paranormal Romance by J. R. Ward.
This was actually the first PNR I've read. I've been a HUGE vampire fan
most of my life, but I used to read Fantasy and Urban Fantasy. When I
fell upon this series I've realized adding the romance "bit" is the best
thing ever!
This
series have been one of my most favorite for a long while. I really
liked the way Ward built the world of the Brotherhood and in general the
"Breed". They have been living besides humans but they are not a threat
as they feast from their mate (partner) and anyhow human blood isn't
potent enough for them. They mostly act human but as expected they have
special abilities and animalistic behaviors.
The
series follows the Black Dagger Brotherhood, a contingent of vampire
warriors in charge of protecting the "Breed" (Vampires) against their
mortal enemies the "Lessening Society" which are a group of ex-humans
transformed into soulless being with the sole purpose of harming the
vampire race. The head of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Wrath, is also
the King of the race but he was trying to run away from his duties
leaving in his stead a group of vampire aristocrats called the Glymera.
My
main issue with this series comes from the longgggg novels with many
POVs and sub-plots. Sometimes it feels like everything is happening
while there is nothing to actually move the plot. I guess it's very
character driven and there is a lot of shenanigans between the
"Brothers" which makes this read a fun one. This is a series to anyone
looking for an action packed novel with tender romance and a lot of
"bro" attitude. In each book one of the brothers gets his own HEA. There
are interesting coupling, not what you'd expect (or the men themselves
expected) but each woman helps her Breed male find his own happiness as
they are all damages in their own way.
I've
been a huge fan of the series till the 13th novel - "The Shadows", it
has been a breaking point for me, because it was different (and many
reading complained about it) but also because I somehow felt I've had
enough. I still highly recommend this series, It's one of the best in
the genre IMO.
If
you love these kinds of series I'd also recommend "Midnight Breed" by
Lara Adrian. There is a few similarities (mainly in the first
books) bit it takes a totally different turn. I actually enjoy it a bit more than this one.
YEP, RECOMMENDED!
Books:
1. Dark Lover [Wrath & Beth] (published 6 September 2005) ★★★½
2. Lover Eternal [Rhage & Marry] (published 7 March 2006) ★★★★½
3. Lover Awakened [Zsadist & Bella] (published 5 September 2006) ★★★★★
4. Lover Revealed [Butch & Marissa] (published 6 Match 2007) ★★★★½
5. Lover Unbound [Vishous & Jane] (published 25 September 2007) ★★★★
6. Lover Enshrined [Phury & Cromia] (published 3 June 2008) ★★
--- An Insider's Guide (Including "Father Mine") (published 7 October 2008 ) ★★★★
6.5 Father Mine [Zsadist, Bella & Nalla] (published 7 October 2008) ★★★★★
7. Lover Avenged [Rehvenge & Ehlena] (published 28 April 2009) ★★★★★
8. Lover Mine [John Mathew & Xhex] (published 27 April 2010) ★★★★★
9. Lover Unleashed [Payne & Manny] (published 29 March 2011) ★★★★½
10. Lover Reborn [Thor & Autumn] (published 27 March 2012) ★
11. Lover At Last [Quinn & Blaylock] (published 26 March 2013) ★★★★½
12. The King [Wrath & Beth revisited] (published 1 April 2014) ★★★½
13. The Shadows [Trez & Selena / iAm & Maichen] (published 31 March 2015) ★★★
As I've mentioned there are more books published in this series but I've stopped after the 13th one.
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