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Black Dagger Brotherhood #22
The Beloved
Zsadist. His daughter. Her true love... what could POSSIBLY go wrong?
The daughter of a legend finds the love of a lifetime in this passionate, heart-wrenching installment in J. R. Ward’s #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series...
Nalla, the blooded daughter of Zsadist, has led a sheltered life. Protected by her father and the Brotherhood, kept away from the deadly war with the Lessening Society, she is chaffing against the walls of the very safety that has ensured her survival. One night, she gives into her restlessness... and finds herself face to face with a male whose inner darkness rivals even that of her sire’s horrific origins.
Nate is a fighter with nothing to lose- and nothing to live for. Tortured in a human lab as a young, then cursed with immortality, he is all vengeance and no purpose because he cares for no one, not even himself. The Brotherhood know this all too well, and following his deliberate violation of the cardinal rule in the war, they declare him a dangerous liability that must be dealt with.
When Nalla and Nate find themselves fighting side by side, daggers aren’t the only things that fly. A sizzling attraction is ignited, except she knows her sire will never accept him- and on his side, Nate has made a secret bargain to end his immortality. As the enemy closes in, and Nalla realizes she must choose between her mate and her sire... what starts with such passion may well end with eternal sorrow and no chance of a reunion, even in the Fade.
The daughter of a legend finds the love of a lifetime in this passionate, heart-wrenching installment in J. R. Ward’s #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series...
Nalla, the blooded daughter of Zsadist, has led a sheltered life. Protected by her father and the Brotherhood, kept away from the deadly war with the Lessening Society, she is chaffing against the walls of the very safety that has ensured her survival. One night, she gives into her restlessness... and finds herself face to face with a male whose inner darkness rivals even that of her sire’s horrific origins.
Nate is a fighter with nothing to lose- and nothing to live for. Tortured in a human lab as a young, then cursed with immortality, he is all vengeance and no purpose because he cares for no one, not even himself. The Brotherhood know this all too well, and following his deliberate violation of the cardinal rule in the war, they declare him a dangerous liability that must be dealt with.
When Nalla and Nate find themselves fighting side by side, daggers aren’t the only things that fly. A sizzling attraction is ignited, except she knows her sire will never accept him- and on his side, Nate has made a secret bargain to end his immortality. As the enemy closes in, and Nalla realizes she must choose between her mate and her sire... what starts with such passion may well end with eternal sorrow and no chance of a reunion, even in the Fade.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published April 9, 2024
About the author
J.R. Ward
217 books50.8k 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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October 14, 2024
I came for Nalla but stayed for Bitty.
Nate & Nalla
As for Nalla, I'll be honest I didn't really like her. Which pains me to say since she's Bella and Z's girl. :( She was insufferable as a heroine. Adult Nalla is bitter, self-centered, whiny, selfish, condescending, obliviously privileged female who treated her parents and best friend Bitty like crap. Bitty is supposed to be Nalla's BFF but I really didn't get that vibe or feel that connection at all. Like not even a little bit. The opening scene of the book is Nalla and Bitty fighting over Bitty's interest in following a life coach guru which Nalla believes is mumbo jumbo bullshit. She mocks and belittles Bitty's interest in it. And this female is supposed to be a social worker, Ward? 😐 She just came off like such a self-righteous abrasive asshole. It honestly shocked me. This character is so out of touch it's insane.
It sounds like Ward herself talking at this point, not her Vampire heroines. Why the fuck would Nalla be saying stuff like this? And to her best friend? :< Absolutely not.
I really need Ward to stop writing her heroines so judgemental and cynical. It's extreme and overdone. The whole world-weary, jaded, Bitter Betty who resents her parents for literally just loving their child is a) bizarre and b) tiring at this point. This is literally how J.R. Ward writes all her contemporary heroines and it's trickled into her BDB world and I'm so so tired of it. With the exception of Rahvyne, her last 5 BDB heroines have become interchangeable because of that. Yes an independent "badass" heroine who hates toxic masculinity and sexist roles is fine but Ward always overcorrects herself where everything her heroine says is right and everyone else is feeble minded and they need a "reality check". The whole "I'm not negative, I'm honest" energy really needs to go (and yes that line is literally used here). The patronizing aggressive lecturing attitude is not cute nor is it attractive. Ward loves her doom and gloom narratives but ENOUGH ALREADY. The abrasive cynical persona didn't fit Nalla at all. There is no reason for Nalla to act or talk this way. She acted like her parents abandoned her in a ditch which is the farthest thing from the truth. The extreme bitterness made no sense and just made her come off privileged and spoiled instead of sympathetic. Yeah your overprotective father prevented you from dating, big deal darling. Move out. At least you have parents who love you and gave a damn about you, you ungrateful twat. I had such a hard time buying that she had no life outside her home because Zsadist scared off a few suitors.
And how are you gonna do a whole time jump just to get to a story you’ve been wanting to tell “for years” about Zsadist dealing with his grown up daughter dating only to have him just wash his hands of her not even 100 pages in all “welp, do whatever you want!”...........
I mean that's it? ONE SCENE? You raved and gushed about this scenario in your head for years to the point you reset the whole BDB timeline just to write this damn story and this is it? You did all that horrible shit to Wrath & Beth in the previous book, you put readers and your characters through ALLLLLLL that misery for…..this? Color me underwhelmed. We get an emotional apology/hug and Z giving his blessing in the end as expected but it felt very hollow for me.
Familial relationships are near nonexistent in this book which really makes me wonder what was the point of jumping ahead 30 years into the future to give the kids stories just to barely show any of it? This did not feel like grown kids talking to their parents/family but strangers talking at each other. Nalla and Nate both carry serious resentment and even indifference towards their parents. The era of Tohr and John Matthew is over. LW seems to completely not care for his mother Beth and doing his own thing. If any of the kids should carry a heaping pile of resentment and anger it should be LW not Nalla. So I can understand him struggling with his feelings more but him turning away from his mother just hurt me. She sacrificed so much to protect him and his legacy and he's just whatever about it? :( The parent-child relationships that were created pre-time jump have all but eroded for reasons that didn’t really make sense or hold weight. Nalla resents her parents and blames everything on her father. She believes her mother is more concerned about her father than her and she's just a "trophy child". Which is the farthest thing from the truth. I didn't understand where this trophy child nonsense even came from because if you read the previous BDB books, that was the farthest thing from the truth. Both Zsadist and Bella loved and doted over their daughter from the minute they found out she was pregnant. She always came first and there was zero question in that. Nalla was their whole world, Z carried his baby girl around like an extra appendage in every scene. If you wanna give your heroine Mommy-Daddy issues at least have it make sense. Don't contrive shit. I swear if my child talked to me the way this heroine does to her mother I would have slapped her with my shoe. I was glad to see Bella getting to go off on her and set her straight. Cause I swear if she didn't get to do even that I would have drop kicked this book into outer space. And it's not lost on me the only reason Nalla comes around to realizing what a complete asshole she's been to her parents and friend is when she realizes she has nobody to talk to about Nate....... Omg! You mean not everything is about me and my Daddy not letting me date boys??! 😱
Nalla witnessing Nate's nightmare firsthand and it reminding her of her father's nightmares was a full circle moment. Her talking to her mother about it and Bella sharing how she helped Z through his nightmares was so great and I did love that scene. But even so, I just found myself wanting more emotional moments like that. One scene to address a topic here and there is not how this series used to function. And Nate completely disregarding his parents Muhrder and Sarah also felt extremely cold and selfish. We literally only get 1 scene of Muhrder confronting Nate about making his mother cry and telling him he's kicked out of the Brotherhood. That's it. Nate and his parents reconcile off the page. Just like Nate and his best friend Shuli reconcile off page too. 😐 See the problem? Nate put his parents through hell for 30 years and they didn't deserve an apology on page? That's insane. A lot of really important moments are flushed to the wayside. Important scenes are sacrificed for endless filler chapters of lesser POV instead. Who needed that? No one. I promise you Ward, nobody and I mean nobody wants to read lesser POVs. Wasting all that real estate for nothing. I literally skipped those chapters and missed nothing in the end. That should say something shouldn't it? I don't care how scared and lonely the poor stupid human is or how he got duped into joining a zombie cult or how gruesome his death is in the end. It's all the same in every book and it's not interesting at all. Why are lessers even a thing still 33 years into the future is the better question??! Ward seriously couldn't come up with something new? We are 22 books in, why are we still here? MOVE ON. There is literally no reason for Lash and Devina to be a thing still.
This author really loves to emphasize the doom and gloom and create a depressing atmosphere. How many times are you gonna remind readers that a character can die at any moment and thinking about their last moments? Jesus hell. This is supposed to be a new era and your characters should be rejoicing that their King is back instead we get more "everyone lives and everyone dies in the end" and how all good things must come to end at some point and kids losing their innocence when they grow up depressing speeches from everyone and their mother, even the freaking butler. It was endless. WTF was that weird ass epilogue from Fritz's POV?? Was that seriously supposed to give me the warm fuzzies? Cause it did the exact opposite. So incredibly somber and depressing Ward.
LW & Bitty
These two really stole the show for me and completely overshadowed Nalla and Nate. That slow build, the curiosity, the hesitation, the small moments, etc. is why they outshined the lead couple. There needs to be an emotional investment and connection built for me to buy it. Well these two got my attention. The chemistry was chemistrying and the tension was delicious. I really love Bitty. Just so many layers to her. Her sweetness and trying to find herself and still processing her fear of not being enough for her adoptive parents was very endearing yet heartbreaking. And the fact she's the only bdb kid who seems to still have a stable loving relationship with her parents Rhage & Mary is sweet but sad at the same time. LW also really surprised me. I did not expect him to have a soft side underneath that scowling intimidating exterior and he's already showing he's just like his father in that regard. 😭❤️ That whole aloof quiet very observant lethal giant Vampire who is untouchable to everyone but just one female? Yes please. It's my achilles heel g-d dammit. I think it's interesting that Bitty is the one who has visions when pre-time jump Nalla was the one having nightmares that seemed to hint at clairvoyance. While I'm very intrigued and surprised by the chemistry between these two I'm still hesitant. It just depends if the author gives them a great payoff. I've been down this road before with Qhuinn/Blay, Xcor/Layla and Lassiter/Rahvynne where the build up is fantastically slow burn and sweet but the actual follow through falls flat or bungled badly. The fact that Bitty and LW's first date happened off the page for example is already making me nervous. Why not show it?!!! 😩 That's a pretty big moment to skip over IMO.
*Swoon mode activated* I just...they have it.
Wrath & Beth
My babies. I love you forever and everrrr.
Zsadist & Bella
*sigh* They still got it. I wanted more than 1 damn scene of them. I'm so sorry Ward turned your daughter into an annoying self-absorbed stereotypical two-dimensional twat.
PS: I will never forgive this author for robbing us a Phury/Cormia storyline for Ahgony being born. Instead you tortured my Wrath and Beth and did this nonsense instead. Is Ahgony even gonna get a love story? Considering he got 1 tiny cameo in this and he's Nalla's cousin that answer already feels like a resounding no. But V got to semi-adopt a kid right? Can't leave him out can we. It's blasphemous. 🙄
Nate & Nalla
“Maybe I’m just over being nothing but the footnote of an epic love story!”I didn't feel the chemistry between these two at all. Everything felt rushed and instantaneous so it fell flat. I appreciated Nate's backstory being similar to Nalla's father Zsadist. As a young, Nate and his mother were tested on and tortured horrifically by humans in a lab for scientific studies where they would inject Nate and his mother with human diseases and cancer. He was rescued from the lab by BDB Brother Muhrder and his mate Sarah who ended up adopting and raising him. Thirty years later we still see some of that trauma and PTSD peak through. All the elements were there to make this a great love story but unfortunately I struggled to connect with either of them. I didn't believe in the connection between Nate and Nalla because there was literally no build up to it. Like zero. Nate goes from pining over Rahyvnne for 33 YEARS to instantly lusting/smitten with Nalla after 1 scene. Page 83 no less. That's all. These two barely talked or knew much of each other before that so it didn't resonate. All it takes is one moment of seeing Nalla karate chop a lesser for Nate to snap out of his self-destructiveness? Seriously? 😐 I needed way more than that.
As for Nalla, I'll be honest I didn't really like her. Which pains me to say since she's Bella and Z's girl. :( She was insufferable as a heroine. Adult Nalla is bitter, self-centered, whiny, selfish, condescending, obliviously privileged female who treated her parents and best friend Bitty like crap. Bitty is supposed to be Nalla's BFF but I really didn't get that vibe or feel that connection at all. Like not even a little bit. The opening scene of the book is Nalla and Bitty fighting over Bitty's interest in following a life coach guru which Nalla believes is mumbo jumbo bullshit. She mocks and belittles Bitty's interest in it. And this female is supposed to be a social worker, Ward? 😐 She just came off like such a self-righteous abrasive asshole. It honestly shocked me. This character is so out of touch it's insane.
“I can’t believe I need to tell you this, but personal growth isn’t something you can pay for and it doesn’t come from YouTube videos you sit back and watch. You need to do the work yourself—and conference? Come on, you’re not going to find your life path at some Hyatt Regency ballroom surrounded by humans eating rubber-chicken entrées and taking selfies with that woman.”
It sounds like Ward herself talking at this point, not her Vampire heroines. Why the fuck would Nalla be saying stuff like this? And to her best friend? :< Absolutely not.
“I’m not worth blowing your life up for, and anyway, you shouldn’t be angry at him for keeping you safe—from lessers or anyone else. That’s love and you’re lucky he cares.”
“Oh, my God, will you spare me the benevolent rescuer act.”
Nate snapped to attention, all record-screech. “I’m sorry, what?”
“You know, you and my father should get along better. You’ve both got the same attitude.”
I really need Ward to stop writing her heroines so judgemental and cynical. It's extreme and overdone. The whole world-weary, jaded, Bitter Betty who resents her parents for literally just loving their child is a) bizarre and b) tiring at this point. This is literally how J.R. Ward writes all her contemporary heroines and it's trickled into her BDB world and I'm so so tired of it. With the exception of Rahvyne, her last 5 BDB heroines have become interchangeable because of that. Yes an independent "badass" heroine who hates toxic masculinity and sexist roles is fine but Ward always overcorrects herself where everything her heroine says is right and everyone else is feeble minded and they need a "reality check". The whole "I'm not negative, I'm honest" energy really needs to go (and yes that line is literally used here). The patronizing aggressive lecturing attitude is not cute nor is it attractive. Ward loves her doom and gloom narratives but ENOUGH ALREADY. The abrasive cynical persona didn't fit Nalla at all. There is no reason for Nalla to act or talk this way. She acted like her parents abandoned her in a ditch which is the farthest thing from the truth. The extreme bitterness made no sense and just made her come off privileged and spoiled instead of sympathetic. Yeah your overprotective father prevented you from dating, big deal darling. Move out. At least you have parents who love you and gave a damn about you, you ungrateful twat. I had such a hard time buying that she had no life outside her home because Zsadist scared off a few suitors.
“Dreams are even harder to give up on than any reality. What we want, what we imagine in our heads, is a fiction that lives and breathes even though it doesn’t actually exist. When we recognize that it’s not real and we have to let it go? We give up a tender part of ourselves along with the fantasy. It hurts.”
And how are you gonna do a whole time jump just to get to a story you’ve been wanting to tell “for years” about Zsadist dealing with his grown up daughter dating only to have him just wash his hands of her not even 100 pages in all “welp, do whatever you want!”...........
I mean that's it? ONE SCENE? You raved and gushed about this scenario in your head for years to the point you reset the whole BDB timeline just to write this damn story and this is it? You did all that horrible shit to Wrath & Beth in the previous book, you put readers and your characters through ALLLLLLL that misery for…..this? Color me underwhelmed. We get an emotional apology/hug and Z giving his blessing in the end as expected but it felt very hollow for me.
Part of it was the sheer selfishness of how she felt: It was a two-year-old’s temper tantrum in a grown-ass adult, and that was not only unappealing, it was embarrassing to some degree.
Familial relationships are near nonexistent in this book which really makes me wonder what was the point of jumping ahead 30 years into the future to give the kids stories just to barely show any of it? This did not feel like grown kids talking to their parents/family but strangers talking at each other. Nalla and Nate both carry serious resentment and even indifference towards their parents. The era of Tohr and John Matthew is over. LW seems to completely not care for his mother Beth and doing his own thing. If any of the kids should carry a heaping pile of resentment and anger it should be LW not Nalla. So I can understand him struggling with his feelings more but him turning away from his mother just hurt me. She sacrificed so much to protect him and his legacy and he's just whatever about it? :( The parent-child relationships that were created pre-time jump have all but eroded for reasons that didn’t really make sense or hold weight. Nalla resents her parents and blames everything on her father. She believes her mother is more concerned about her father than her and she's just a "trophy child". Which is the farthest thing from the truth. I didn't understand where this trophy child nonsense even came from because if you read the previous BDB books, that was the farthest thing from the truth. Both Zsadist and Bella loved and doted over their daughter from the minute they found out she was pregnant. She always came first and there was zero question in that. Nalla was their whole world, Z carried his baby girl around like an extra appendage in every scene. If you wanna give your heroine Mommy-Daddy issues at least have it make sense. Don't contrive shit. I swear if my child talked to me the way this heroine does to her mother I would have slapped her with my shoe. I was glad to see Bella getting to go off on her and set her straight. Cause I swear if she didn't get to do even that I would have drop kicked this book into outer space. And it's not lost on me the only reason Nalla comes around to realizing what a complete asshole she's been to her parents and friend is when she realizes she has nobody to talk to about Nate....... Omg! You mean not everything is about me and my Daddy not letting me date boys??! 😱
Nalla witnessing Nate's nightmare firsthand and it reminding her of her father's nightmares was a full circle moment. Her talking to her mother about it and Bella sharing how she helped Z through his nightmares was so great and I did love that scene. But even so, I just found myself wanting more emotional moments like that. One scene to address a topic here and there is not how this series used to function. And Nate completely disregarding his parents Muhrder and Sarah also felt extremely cold and selfish. We literally only get 1 scene of Muhrder confronting Nate about making his mother cry and telling him he's kicked out of the Brotherhood. That's it. Nate and his parents reconcile off the page. Just like Nate and his best friend Shuli reconcile off page too. 😐 See the problem? Nate put his parents through hell for 30 years and they didn't deserve an apology on page? That's insane. A lot of really important moments are flushed to the wayside. Important scenes are sacrificed for endless filler chapters of lesser POV instead. Who needed that? No one. I promise you Ward, nobody and I mean nobody wants to read lesser POVs. Wasting all that real estate for nothing. I literally skipped those chapters and missed nothing in the end. That should say something shouldn't it? I don't care how scared and lonely the poor stupid human is or how he got duped into joining a zombie cult or how gruesome his death is in the end. It's all the same in every book and it's not interesting at all. Why are lessers even a thing still 33 years into the future is the better question??! Ward seriously couldn't come up with something new? We are 22 books in, why are we still here? MOVE ON. There is literally no reason for Lash and Devina to be a thing still.
This author really loves to emphasize the doom and gloom and create a depressing atmosphere. How many times are you gonna remind readers that a character can die at any moment and thinking about their last moments? Jesus hell. This is supposed to be a new era and your characters should be rejoicing that their King is back instead we get more "everyone lives and everyone dies in the end" and how all good things must come to end at some point and kids losing their innocence when they grow up depressing speeches from everyone and their mother, even the freaking butler. It was endless. WTF was that weird ass epilogue from Fritz's POV?? Was that seriously supposed to give me the warm fuzzies? Cause it did the exact opposite. So incredibly somber and depressing Ward.
LW & Bitty
“I’ve noticed something about you,” he said.
She tugged at the hem of her dress, thinking that the damn thing seemed tighter and shorter and lower cut. “What might that be.”
“You’re a hugger. You hug people, and when you do, you mean it.”
“Oh. Thank you? I guess.”.....
“You never hug me,” he said.
“I’m sorry, wha—” She cleared her throat and measured his heavy shoulders. “Well, you’re not… exactly the huggable type.”
“No? Why not.”.... He opened his arms. “How about me.”
These two really stole the show for me and completely overshadowed Nalla and Nate. That slow build, the curiosity, the hesitation, the small moments, etc. is why they outshined the lead couple. There needs to be an emotional investment and connection built for me to buy it. Well these two got my attention. The chemistry was chemistrying and the tension was delicious. I really love Bitty. Just so many layers to her. Her sweetness and trying to find herself and still processing her fear of not being enough for her adoptive parents was very endearing yet heartbreaking. And the fact she's the only bdb kid who seems to still have a stable loving relationship with her parents Rhage & Mary is sweet but sad at the same time. LW also really surprised me. I did not expect him to have a soft side underneath that scowling intimidating exterior and he's already showing he's just like his father in that regard. 😭❤️ That whole aloof quiet very observant lethal giant Vampire who is untouchable to everyone but just one female? Yes please. It's my achilles heel g-d dammit. I think it's interesting that Bitty is the one who has visions when pre-time jump Nalla was the one having nightmares that seemed to hint at clairvoyance. While I'm very intrigued and surprised by the chemistry between these two I'm still hesitant. It just depends if the author gives them a great payoff. I've been down this road before with Qhuinn/Blay, Xcor/Layla and Lassiter/Rahvynne where the build up is fantastically slow burn and sweet but the actual follow through falls flat or bungled badly. The fact that Bitty and LW's first date happened off the page for example is already making me nervous. Why not show it?!!! 😩 That's a pretty big moment to skip over IMO.
Those eyebrows sank down low, making him look positively evil. “Who hurt you.”....“I wish whoever hurt you was still alive.”
“So you could take him to his grave yourself.”
“Yeah.” He reached out and stroked back a streamer of hair from her face. “People like you shouldn’t be hurt.”
*Swoon mode activated* I just...they have it.
Wrath & Beth
My babies. I love you forever and everrrr.
Zsadist & Bella
*sigh* They still got it. I wanted more than 1 damn scene of them. I'm so sorry Ward turned your daughter into an annoying self-absorbed stereotypical two-dimensional twat.
PS: I will never forgive this author for robbing us a Phury/Cormia storyline for Ahgony being born. Instead you tortured my Wrath and Beth and did this nonsense instead. Is Ahgony even gonna get a love story? Considering he got 1 tiny cameo in this and he's Nalla's cousin that answer already feels like a resounding no. But V got to semi-adopt a kid right? Can't leave him out can we. It's blasphemous. 🙄
April 9, 2024
Was so excited for this book but it was so boring. I skimmed through it quickly and nothing was happening. Nalla’s story should have been a novella instead and i was actually more interested in Bitty as a lead than her. Also, the younger generation seems like a bunch of spoiled brats tbh. I loved Z and Bella theyre still great and all the og characters but the main story of nalla and nate was a dud becuz theyre so boring as characters and as a couple.
April 1, 2024
Love this series! Awesome story and fantastic ending.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It took me a few chapters to refresh and get back into the series groove. This story is based on two slightly known secondary characters from other books and the author does a great job of building the back story while refreshing our memory. But we also see many of our favorites in this one too!
As with the other stories, this book brings darkness and light, balancing it out beautifully. In Lassiter, we suffered through a shocking ending. Without giving anything away, some revelations change the Brotherhood for the better in this book.
As typical, there are many POV’s in the story and we become entangled with each one of them; jumping from Lessors, gore, and evil to developing romances, humor, and family ties. Ward has us on the edge of our seats throughout.
The Beloved is another fabulous addition to the series. Getting to know the up-and-coming Brotherhood members is a perfect way to subtly twist while keeping the story fresh and interesting. Plus, the ending is awesome too! We fall in love with the stories and hate it when they end!
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-beloved-...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It took me a few chapters to refresh and get back into the series groove. This story is based on two slightly known secondary characters from other books and the author does a great job of building the back story while refreshing our memory. But we also see many of our favorites in this one too!
As with the other stories, this book brings darkness and light, balancing it out beautifully. In Lassiter, we suffered through a shocking ending. Without giving anything away, some revelations change the Brotherhood for the better in this book.
As typical, there are many POV’s in the story and we become entangled with each one of them; jumping from Lessors, gore, and evil to developing romances, humor, and family ties. Ward has us on the edge of our seats throughout.
The Beloved is another fabulous addition to the series. Getting to know the up-and-coming Brotherhood members is a perfect way to subtly twist while keeping the story fresh and interesting. Plus, the ending is awesome too! We fall in love with the stories and hate it when they end!
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-beloved-...
Shelved as 'probably-not'
January 16, 2024How does Ward continue a series after the last book was the ending? She hopped forward, told in short order who lived, died, and what happened in their lives. No, she didn't allow us to read it in the storyline. Instead, we are TOLD about 40 or so years of the group's lives in a page or two. And now she wants to drop another book, like that didn't happen? Of course it would be about Zsadist. It's hard to resist the desire to read about him. But that just makes this feel more like a ploy.
April 12, 2024
My last few BDB reviews have been harsh, so this might as well be a 5 star.
Let's start with what I liked:
1. Fully fleshed out main characters (lets be honest the last HANDFUL of females have been halfassed)
2. The chemistry. Nalla & Nate had really good chemistry. But so did LW and Bitty. And Shuli and LW.
3. The brothers. V and Z talking about their kids together, Rhage being all dad like. Adorbs.
Great, now that that's out of the way. My problems with this:
1. The pacing. Nalla and Nate had interacted for a total of MAYBE four hours when Nalla is bitching to her mom saying "You don't know him like I do". Bitch you don't know him at all, sit the fuck down.
2. Nalla's "I can fix him energy". Gurl, it's 2024, that's not cute anymore.
3. The robocops. Srsly that was so unnecessary.
4. Again, the pacing. Back in the OG books, the characters had waaaay more meaningful scenes before the boding, or realizing they were in love. Nate bonded INSTANTLY to Nalla, which is just weird because how Bitty said, they all grew up parallel to each other. These aren't strangers, these are people that have been in and out of each other's lives for ever and the fact that they didn't really interact until the weird club scene, idk. That could've been written better. It needed a stronger catalyst, that club thing was weak. (This comment also applies to LW and Bitty, I refuse to believe they're into each other and in 30 years didn't really speak).
5. The drama. Nalla had been with Nate for TWO DAYS and she was ready to cut off her dad. Also she and Bitty hadn't spoken for 2 whole days and Bitty was like omg our friendship is over. They're supposed to live for centuries, a fight with your friend that lasted two days is nothing like seriously wtf. That was very YA and not very adult of them.
6. The lack of explanation of why THEY NEEDED TO WAIT 30 YEARS TO BRING WRATH BACK.
It had enough of the old elements to keep me entertained but overall, 2.5 stars.
Let's start with what I liked:
1. Fully fleshed out main characters (lets be honest the last HANDFUL of females have been halfassed)
2. The chemistry. Nalla & Nate had really good chemistry. But so did LW and Bitty. And Shuli and LW.
3. The brothers. V and Z talking about their kids together, Rhage being all dad like. Adorbs.
Great, now that that's out of the way. My problems with this:
1. The pacing. Nalla and Nate had interacted for a total of MAYBE four hours when Nalla is bitching to her mom saying "You don't know him like I do". Bitch you don't know him at all, sit the fuck down.
2. Nalla's "I can fix him energy". Gurl, it's 2024, that's not cute anymore.
3. The robocops. Srsly that was so unnecessary.
4. Again, the pacing. Back in the OG books, the characters had waaaay more meaningful scenes before the boding, or realizing they were in love. Nate bonded INSTANTLY to Nalla, which is just weird because how Bitty said, they all grew up parallel to each other. These aren't strangers, these are people that have been in and out of each other's lives for ever and the fact that they didn't really interact until the weird club scene, idk. That could've been written better. It needed a stronger catalyst, that club thing was weak. (This comment also applies to LW and Bitty, I refuse to believe they're into each other and in 30 years didn't really speak).
5. The drama. Nalla had been with Nate for TWO DAYS and she was ready to cut off her dad. Also she and Bitty hadn't spoken for 2 whole days and Bitty was like omg our friendship is over. They're supposed to live for centuries, a fight with your friend that lasted two days is nothing like seriously wtf. That was very YA and not very adult of them.
6. The lack of explanation of why THEY NEEDED TO WAIT 30 YEARS TO BRING WRATH BACK.
It had enough of the old elements to keep me entertained but overall, 2.5 stars.
May 16, 2024
2 stars - Vampire Romance/Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
It's been a while since I really enjoyed a BDB book, but I hoped I'd feel differently with this because of how much I loved Zsadist and Bella's love story. But their daughter, Nalla, is a total brat, and she's not a likeable romantic heroine.
The original BDB books were amazing, but I just can't with this series anymore. Ward's writing has changed, her plots have became too convoluted, and she's ruined so many of her character's HEAs.
And I know I'm probably in the minority, but I don't like Jim Frangione's audiobook narration.
I think I'm done.
It's been a while since I really enjoyed a BDB book, but I hoped I'd feel differently with this because of how much I loved Zsadist and Bella's love story. But their daughter, Nalla, is a total brat, and she's not a likeable romantic heroine.
The original BDB books were amazing, but I just can't with this series anymore. Ward's writing has changed, her plots have became too convoluted, and she's ruined so many of her character's HEAs.
And I know I'm probably in the minority, but I don't like Jim Frangione's audiobook narration.
I think I'm done.
April 12, 2024
Okay this is a hard review for me... I have been loyal BDB since 1997. Yeah OLLLLDDD SCHOOL. LOL. SO where do I start with this.... I am baffled by many things...JR has always written so well that things all tied up and questions were answered but this book left me with a resounding wtf? More questions than answers. I feel like JR is just done with the BDB and grasping because fans are pissed and won't read anything else.
Let me jump in
1- Wrath has been "dead" according to the warriors knowledge for 30+ tears and when he appears again it is like hey man what's up - slap on the back move on like he has been on a vacay - not a 30+ year absence. Centuries together, they love this man and that is what he gets?? I would have expected that from some of them but V and Tohr yeah NO! The only one with the reaction that fit was Fritz. Beth's reaction to Wrath walking in... yeah, he was gone 20 mins I guess. Normally Mated pairs split the other dies but not the queen. But then again she barely acknowledges LW. Yeah so baffled.
2- Manny.... Okay so in Payne and Manny's story he was basically recharged. NOT transitioned. He was late 40s in Payne and Mannys story she recharged him to 20s - so with the 33+ year time loop homie would be in his late 50s early 60s. He sure aint jettin about like some 30 year old in an amborv yet bam there he is doing just that.
3- Butch and V no longer living together???? I never wanted them as a couple, their connection is light and dark----- balance. Yet nope that aint happening anymore. Hell V does not even mention Butch wtf?? While on Butch.... Is Butch no longer the Dhestroyer? Now they just send the evil back to Lash instead of Butch getting his suck on????
4 - Where are the shadows and rev now.... where is John Matthew/Xhex, where is the rest of the BoB, what happened with the other fighters.... are they dead or yeah what. The prisons they got one and what no biggs on the others? Phury freed the chosen yet bam there is a new chosen. What about his farmhouse in the mountains?
This is just 4 of the many wtf moments I had.
The kids... yeah... They are all self indulgent selfish brats. They do not care about anyone but themselves. I got Nala's struggle and expected issues with how protective Z was of her. Yet she was all about I want, I want, I want---- whiney I am not mated blah blah blah. Mt daddy does not let me do anything..... and then Z just wipes his hands of her..... Ummm O-KAYYYYYYYY. He stalked Bellas house for how long. The man owns Brass NADS yet he washes hands of her. He was so hell bent for leather against Nate threatening to wear his guts yet he finds out "that is my father in law" and he is all jhonny on the spot?????
Nate being a hit man for humans and suicidal.... again wtf. He is the one I expected to be the most savage not a nuetered puppy.
I like Bitty but she is all social worker and wound up in Ticktock self help tards... again pfftttttt.
These kids have not had enough life or struggle to be complex. Bitty's past--- from hell 110 straight up, but she is all no issues expect she wants LW and has a tiff with Nala.
Lasiter OMFG he is more concerned with Ravehyn than anything else, which I dig. He is due but he needs to not be the races deity because he is too concerned with self interest, zebra print, Golden Girls and Ravehyn. While talking about Ravehyn 1 word Balance! Or in her case violation of such! The big creator should be giving pink slips.
LW... I don't get that at all Beth just said whatever homie you do you and that was the end of it.....washed her hands done. She was always the brave fighter she took on biggest and badest. "Tall, Dark and Grumpy". So her just whatever.... I so did not see that one at all. A glymera silver spoon fed jack off who by the by still silver spoon fed really had no prior with LW as a Ashtrom Notrux.... WTF
Yeah not impressed with the kids at all. Snot nosed self indulgent --- with teenie boppers hell yeah get it but folks that are in the 30s human years... yeah NO. JM, Quinn and Blay we watched them and by this point they were mature killers defending their race during a period less aggressive than what is being shown in the series, yet the new gen all whiney self indulgent wankers.
The mansion and clinic.
The mansion is so dangerous they all relocated to be scurrying rats in city then
1- why is LW still going back
2- why is Fritz still cleaning daily
3- why is the clinic safe enough but the mansion not.
V is mansa certified and then rest are not exactly stupid, yet they never bothered to get the mansion secure or get a new one? Just none of the book makes sense and the series does not even feel like the series I have been reading since the 90s.
Overall the book left me unsatisfied, disappointed and sad. Ending of an era. I am rereading now and we will see if my review changes but I am pretty well disgusted.
Let me jump in
1- Wrath has been "dead" according to the warriors knowledge for 30+ tears and when he appears again it is like hey man what's up - slap on the back move on like he has been on a vacay - not a 30+ year absence. Centuries together, they love this man and that is what he gets?? I would have expected that from some of them but V and Tohr yeah NO! The only one with the reaction that fit was Fritz. Beth's reaction to Wrath walking in... yeah, he was gone 20 mins I guess. Normally Mated pairs split the other dies but not the queen. But then again she barely acknowledges LW. Yeah so baffled.
2- Manny.... Okay so in Payne and Manny's story he was basically recharged. NOT transitioned. He was late 40s in Payne and Mannys story she recharged him to 20s - so with the 33+ year time loop homie would be in his late 50s early 60s. He sure aint jettin about like some 30 year old in an amborv yet bam there he is doing just that.
3- Butch and V no longer living together???? I never wanted them as a couple, their connection is light and dark----- balance. Yet nope that aint happening anymore. Hell V does not even mention Butch wtf?? While on Butch.... Is Butch no longer the Dhestroyer? Now they just send the evil back to Lash instead of Butch getting his suck on????
4 - Where are the shadows and rev now.... where is John Matthew/Xhex, where is the rest of the BoB, what happened with the other fighters.... are they dead or yeah what. The prisons they got one and what no biggs on the others? Phury freed the chosen yet bam there is a new chosen. What about his farmhouse in the mountains?
This is just 4 of the many wtf moments I had.
The kids... yeah... They are all self indulgent selfish brats. They do not care about anyone but themselves. I got Nala's struggle and expected issues with how protective Z was of her. Yet she was all about I want, I want, I want---- whiney I am not mated blah blah blah. Mt daddy does not let me do anything..... and then Z just wipes his hands of her..... Ummm O-KAYYYYYYYY. He stalked Bellas house for how long. The man owns Brass NADS yet he washes hands of her. He was so hell bent for leather against Nate threatening to wear his guts yet he finds out "that is my father in law" and he is all jhonny on the spot?????
Nate being a hit man for humans and suicidal.... again wtf. He is the one I expected to be the most savage not a nuetered puppy.
I like Bitty but she is all social worker and wound up in Ticktock self help tards... again pfftttttt.
These kids have not had enough life or struggle to be complex. Bitty's past--- from hell 110 straight up, but she is all no issues expect she wants LW and has a tiff with Nala.
Lasiter OMFG he is more concerned with Ravehyn than anything else, which I dig. He is due but he needs to not be the races deity because he is too concerned with self interest, zebra print, Golden Girls and Ravehyn. While talking about Ravehyn 1 word Balance! Or in her case violation of such! The big creator should be giving pink slips.
LW... I don't get that at all Beth just said whatever homie you do you and that was the end of it.....washed her hands done. She was always the brave fighter she took on biggest and badest. "Tall, Dark and Grumpy". So her just whatever.... I so did not see that one at all. A glymera silver spoon fed jack off who by the by still silver spoon fed really had no prior with LW as a Ashtrom Notrux.... WTF
Yeah not impressed with the kids at all. Snot nosed self indulgent --- with teenie boppers hell yeah get it but folks that are in the 30s human years... yeah NO. JM, Quinn and Blay we watched them and by this point they were mature killers defending their race during a period less aggressive than what is being shown in the series, yet the new gen all whiney self indulgent wankers.
The mansion and clinic.
The mansion is so dangerous they all relocated to be scurrying rats in city then
1- why is LW still going back
2- why is Fritz still cleaning daily
3- why is the clinic safe enough but the mansion not.
V is mansa certified and then rest are not exactly stupid, yet they never bothered to get the mansion secure or get a new one? Just none of the book makes sense and the series does not even feel like the series I have been reading since the 90s.
Overall the book left me unsatisfied, disappointed and sad. Ending of an era. I am rereading now and we will see if my review changes but I am pretty well disgusted.
April 11, 2024
*big sigh* Well here we are again. Book #22 in the BDB series and man, I am tired. This book came with a lot of big promises from Ward. She put us through a massive time jump at the end of Lassiter, right on the tails of some major, world-changing announcements, all so that she could get right into telling the kids' love stories. Nevermind that it came at the cost of convincing the reader (momentarily) and most of the cast (much longer than momentarily) that Wrath, the hero who started it all, was dead. She promised that all would be explained and that the payoff would be worth it once we had jumped forward 33 years into the future. Well, surprise surprise, I don't think she really fulfilled those promises. I wasn't overly upset by this book, but I do feel pretty underwhelmed by what we got after all the build-up. And that's honestly part of a growing theme with her books. I feel like every time I show up for Ward lately she just leaves me more frustrated than anything else - and then I hop on here and vent into the void (hi void! 👋🏻 nice to see you again, and so soon after Mine!) So let's jump right in:
Nate and Nalla: None of my big complaints with this book have anything to do with them. They're sweet, if a little boring. Nalla is the little girl we all knew, all grown up overnight and she's frustrated with her life living in her father's shadow - he threatens any male who comes near her and also he takes up all of her mother's focus and attention. We really don't get to know much else about her, aside from the fact that she's working as a counselor at Safe Space. Honestly girl, I get it, your dad seems overbearing, but it seems like small potatoes compared to the emotional traumas we've all waded through during the rest of this series. Put your big girl pants on and deal with it. Nate at least had the benefit of having a little bit more of a backstory, and honestly, the dark place he's in at the beginning of this book makes sense for the most part. I think I too would spiral a lot if I was "gifted" immortality without my consent, though I really don't understand how not a single person in the entire Brotherhood world was able to sit his ass down and get him to work through even a single bit of his trauma over this big jump forward in time. Apparently we'll just have to take Ward's word for it that they tried and failed, as she kept the details of the last 30 years frustratingly vague. But either way, he's primed for true love to come in and save him from himself when this book starts. And so it does! Nalla and Nate find themselves in the same bar at the same time and share some loaded looks, and then they share a fight against the undead - what more does a couple need to trip right into insta-love, am I right? They followed a pretty straightforward path to a relationship after that. And they even managed to get Z's approval by the end, and with much less of a fight than anyone anticipated. Good on them (more bonding over slaughtering the undead, how sweet 😍). They were pretty middle of the road, in every sense. Nothing we haven't seen before, but still convincing enough to keep my interest.
The Lessers: Thank God Evan died in the end because man, he was boring. The lessers are always the least interesting part of any BDB book but he was really giving Mr. O and Mr. X a run for their money there for a minute. I think his purpose was pretty clearly just to give us all a tour of the empire of evil that Lash has built in Caldwell over the last 30 years and honestly, it's impressive. But apparently Lash and Devina are on the outs? Which begs the question why the Brotherhood hasn't been able to corral this mess - she was their biggest issue with getting Lash under control when we last left them. Did Lash really get that smart or did Devina just get him set up that well before she peaced out? We can only hope she's gone for good, but I seriously doubt that we're that lucky. But that little nugget of info aside, it's so exhausting to have logged this many pages and reading hours into this series to see the Brotherhood back at square one, just so JR has an excuse to talk about the kiddos. I wish we could've gotten something truly fresh instead.
Wrath: Okay this is where I really go off the rails because what in the hell is going on with Wrath's return? Why is everyone so chill that he's just randomly back?? When we last left everyone at the end of Lassiter, Rahvyn told literally no one that she was going to be bringing him back at any point in the future. She told Beth to trust her, and that was the extent of it. She and Beth then presented the plan that Rahvyn was going to masquerade as Wrath until LW was old enough to take the throne (and in doing so completely disregarded everything Wrath was trying to guard against when LW was born in The King - he absolutely did not want his son to be saddled with the weight of responsibility that comes with the monarchy, but oh okay, this is fine too I guess 🙄) but hey, guess what, LW doesn't want the throne any more than his dad did! Shocker.
But okay. Wrath is back and we do see some tearful reunions with Tohr and Fritz, a quick hi to Rhage, and Z, and yes of course, V. Because we can't do anything in this universe without V (he even has a kid now too! Because of course he does. How else will we make sure he can relate to all the parents we're gonna visit over the kids' books?? We have to convince everyone that V is cool and necessary at every possible opportunity 🫠). And outside of Tohr, who cries a bit, and Fritz, who has to be convinced that Wrath's disappearance is not his fault, everyone else just seems to be relieved that he's back. And that's it. That's the extent of what we get. We don't see him explaining anything to the rest of the Brotherhood, we don't see them filling him in on their personal lives over the last 30 years. Nada. Zilch. This would have been a PERFECT time for us to have one of our old school Brotherhood meetings and get a tiny bit of face time with all of our favorite heroes, but noooo. We saw a few more friendly faces out in the field, but it was honestly a tiny fraction of everyone I would've liked to see. It was just underwhelming to me.
And again, why is everyone so accepting of this massive turn of events? And why have they all been stewing in grief for 30 years? Yes, Wrath is a cornerstone of the universe, but outside of Beth, it feels like character regression to believe that all of these people were so all-consumed with grief for 30 years that they remained grim and depressed and unable to move on at all. If they truly believed him to be dead, I would expect them to grieve for a while and then pull themselves up by their proverbial bootstraps and get back to work and their lives. This is a war. People die. Darius died at the beginning of the series, then Wellsie. Everyone was obviously sad about these events, but they all found their way towards joy in the end, through the transformative power of love and family. That's kind of been the overarching theme of this whole series, no? But no, apparently they're all so affected that even Nalla, who has no knowledge of the Great Wrath Deception, remarks on how they all just became grim one day and never snapped out of it when she's thinking back on her early childhood in the Brotherhood mansion. To the point where they all kind of lived their lives in parallel rather than together like they did for the whole rest of the series. I expected a lot more exploration of some very complicated emotions in this book, but it came off to me like Ward opted to take the easy way out at every point. Again, maybe she'll get around to some deeper reflection on these things in the next book, but I'm not gonna get my hopes up too high on that front. It should've been in this one and it wasn't.
And that's really it. That's the book. We did get a bit of set-up for the future. LW and Shuli are now tied at the hip because Wrath decided to do the whole ahstrux nostrum thing again (this would've been a good spot to catch a glimpse of Qhuinn or John Matthew in my opinion, but whatever) and Bitty and LW spent a few pages making tiny goo-goo eyes at each other. I don't know if their book is next, but they'll definitely be coming up at some point. Ultimately I think I'd like a little more exploration on the overall impact of Wrath's missing years, especially with the OG characters, and I'd like to get some more concrete information on what happened to all of the couples we came to know and love before as well. I'm still gonna hang in there and read the next one, because I'm in too deep to pull out now, but ugh. I need some confidence that she's got a real plan to resolve this in the way that it really deserves in the end. Okay, bye void! Nice talking to you, as always.*
*I forgot my favorite part until the very end, and it doesn't really fit anywhere else in this longwinded diatribe I've laid out here, but Amore! A non-binary tattoo artist?! I love them. Bring them back as much as possible. What a badass.
Nate and Nalla: None of my big complaints with this book have anything to do with them. They're sweet, if a little boring. Nalla is the little girl we all knew, all grown up overnight and she's frustrated with her life living in her father's shadow - he threatens any male who comes near her and also he takes up all of her mother's focus and attention. We really don't get to know much else about her, aside from the fact that she's working as a counselor at Safe Space. Honestly girl, I get it, your dad seems overbearing, but it seems like small potatoes compared to the emotional traumas we've all waded through during the rest of this series. Put your big girl pants on and deal with it. Nate at least had the benefit of having a little bit more of a backstory, and honestly, the dark place he's in at the beginning of this book makes sense for the most part. I think I too would spiral a lot if I was "gifted" immortality without my consent, though I really don't understand how not a single person in the entire Brotherhood world was able to sit his ass down and get him to work through even a single bit of his trauma over this big jump forward in time. Apparently we'll just have to take Ward's word for it that they tried and failed, as she kept the details of the last 30 years frustratingly vague. But either way, he's primed for true love to come in and save him from himself when this book starts. And so it does! Nalla and Nate find themselves in the same bar at the same time and share some loaded looks, and then they share a fight against the undead - what more does a couple need to trip right into insta-love, am I right? They followed a pretty straightforward path to a relationship after that. And they even managed to get Z's approval by the end, and with much less of a fight than anyone anticipated. Good on them (more bonding over slaughtering the undead, how sweet 😍). They were pretty middle of the road, in every sense. Nothing we haven't seen before, but still convincing enough to keep my interest.
The Lessers: Thank God Evan died in the end because man, he was boring. The lessers are always the least interesting part of any BDB book but he was really giving Mr. O and Mr. X a run for their money there for a minute. I think his purpose was pretty clearly just to give us all a tour of the empire of evil that Lash has built in Caldwell over the last 30 years and honestly, it's impressive. But apparently Lash and Devina are on the outs? Which begs the question why the Brotherhood hasn't been able to corral this mess - she was their biggest issue with getting Lash under control when we last left them. Did Lash really get that smart or did Devina just get him set up that well before she peaced out? We can only hope she's gone for good, but I seriously doubt that we're that lucky. But that little nugget of info aside, it's so exhausting to have logged this many pages and reading hours into this series to see the Brotherhood back at square one, just so JR has an excuse to talk about the kiddos. I wish we could've gotten something truly fresh instead.
Wrath: Okay this is where I really go off the rails because what in the hell is going on with Wrath's return? Why is everyone so chill that he's just randomly back?? When we last left everyone at the end of Lassiter, Rahvyn told literally no one that she was going to be bringing him back at any point in the future. She told Beth to trust her, and that was the extent of it. She and Beth then presented the plan that Rahvyn was going to masquerade as Wrath until LW was old enough to take the throne (and in doing so completely disregarded everything Wrath was trying to guard against when LW was born in The King - he absolutely did not want his son to be saddled with the weight of responsibility that comes with the monarchy, but oh okay, this is fine too I guess 🙄) but hey, guess what, LW doesn't want the throne any more than his dad did! Shocker.
But okay. Wrath is back and we do see some tearful reunions with Tohr and Fritz, a quick hi to Rhage, and Z, and yes of course, V. Because we can't do anything in this universe without V (he even has a kid now too! Because of course he does. How else will we make sure he can relate to all the parents we're gonna visit over the kids' books?? We have to convince everyone that V is cool and necessary at every possible opportunity 🫠). And outside of Tohr, who cries a bit, and Fritz, who has to be convinced that Wrath's disappearance is not his fault, everyone else just seems to be relieved that he's back. And that's it. That's the extent of what we get. We don't see him explaining anything to the rest of the Brotherhood, we don't see them filling him in on their personal lives over the last 30 years. Nada. Zilch. This would have been a PERFECT time for us to have one of our old school Brotherhood meetings and get a tiny bit of face time with all of our favorite heroes, but noooo. We saw a few more friendly faces out in the field, but it was honestly a tiny fraction of everyone I would've liked to see. It was just underwhelming to me.
And again, why is everyone so accepting of this massive turn of events? And why have they all been stewing in grief for 30 years? Yes, Wrath is a cornerstone of the universe, but outside of Beth, it feels like character regression to believe that all of these people were so all-consumed with grief for 30 years that they remained grim and depressed and unable to move on at all. If they truly believed him to be dead, I would expect them to grieve for a while and then pull themselves up by their proverbial bootstraps and get back to work and their lives. This is a war. People die. Darius died at the beginning of the series, then Wellsie. Everyone was obviously sad about these events, but they all found their way towards joy in the end, through the transformative power of love and family. That's kind of been the overarching theme of this whole series, no? But no, apparently they're all so affected that even Nalla, who has no knowledge of the Great Wrath Deception, remarks on how they all just became grim one day and never snapped out of it when she's thinking back on her early childhood in the Brotherhood mansion. To the point where they all kind of lived their lives in parallel rather than together like they did for the whole rest of the series. I expected a lot more exploration of some very complicated emotions in this book, but it came off to me like Ward opted to take the easy way out at every point. Again, maybe she'll get around to some deeper reflection on these things in the next book, but I'm not gonna get my hopes up too high on that front. It should've been in this one and it wasn't.
And that's really it. That's the book. We did get a bit of set-up for the future. LW and Shuli are now tied at the hip because Wrath decided to do the whole ahstrux nostrum thing again (this would've been a good spot to catch a glimpse of Qhuinn or John Matthew in my opinion, but whatever) and Bitty and LW spent a few pages making tiny goo-goo eyes at each other. I don't know if their book is next, but they'll definitely be coming up at some point. Ultimately I think I'd like a little more exploration on the overall impact of Wrath's missing years, especially with the OG characters, and I'd like to get some more concrete information on what happened to all of the couples we came to know and love before as well. I'm still gonna hang in there and read the next one, because I'm in too deep to pull out now, but ugh. I need some confidence that she's got a real plan to resolve this in the way that it really deserves in the end. Okay, bye void! Nice talking to you, as always.*
*I forgot my favorite part until the very end, and it doesn't really fit anywhere else in this longwinded diatribe I've laid out here, but Amore! A non-binary tattoo artist?! I love them. Bring them back as much as possible. What a badass.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2024
Ok listen. I was so freaking worried after the ending of Lassiter. I had no idea how JRW was going to be able to move this series along. Let’s be real, we were DEVASTATED and shocked and basically left in a fog.
BUT SHE DID IT.
BRILLIANTLY.
I remember always hearing that the BDB kids will get books but I often wondered how that transition would work. I had faith in her that she would figure it out, but I couldn’t wrap my head around it until I read Lassiter. And I love that she did that to us because now this book brought all the old feelings back.
The Beloved was almost like reading about the OG brothers. I loved all their interactions. Seeing LW, Bitty and Nalla all grown up was the best. This new group of friends brought back all the feels.
The last 30 years haven’t been smooth for anyone. While most people don’t realize what happened, the children can sense the difference. And some of them did struggle a bit but I’m so happy things are starting to move forward.
I loved watching Nate and Nalla come together. Even though they’re technically 30+ it was still a young love type of relationship and it made my heart all a flutter. I found myself reading their parts slower so I could bask in their happiness.
I look forward to the next book and who it could be about…
This is my honest review.
Thank you, Gallery Books, for the ARC!
BUT SHE DID IT.
BRILLIANTLY.
I remember always hearing that the BDB kids will get books but I often wondered how that transition would work. I had faith in her that she would figure it out, but I couldn’t wrap my head around it until I read Lassiter. And I love that she did that to us because now this book brought all the old feelings back.
The Beloved was almost like reading about the OG brothers. I loved all their interactions. Seeing LW, Bitty and Nalla all grown up was the best. This new group of friends brought back all the feels.
The last 30 years haven’t been smooth for anyone. While most people don’t realize what happened, the children can sense the difference. And some of them did struggle a bit but I’m so happy things are starting to move forward.
I loved watching Nate and Nalla come together. Even though they’re technically 30+ it was still a young love type of relationship and it made my heart all a flutter. I found myself reading their parts slower so I could bask in their happiness.
I look forward to the next book and who it could be about…
This is my honest review.
Thank you, Gallery Books, for the ARC!
July 14, 2024
So this is one of the best Black Dagger Brotherhood books I've read! I'm glad the author has jumped forward 30 years so the kids of the original group could get their story told. I ADORE Z. He's my favorite out of all the brothers, so seeing him parent Nalla in past books was so heartwarming. Seeing adult Nalla have to deal with him and him having to let go and all the chaos that causes was so interesting.
Nalla is definitely Z's daughter. They're both stubborn and hardheaded. When they make up their minds it's game over. I understand the turmoil Nalla has gone through all her life. Having to deal with someone who has severe mental health issues like Z is not easy. Even him not wanting to let his daughter see him like that is not easy. Hurtful words were said but everyone did come together and understand each other by the end. Nalla is very much a recluse who doesn't trust people easily and Z has a small part to play in why that is. She's very much not even open to the idea. It was so fascinating seeing Nate break down her walls and vice versa.
Nate was an interesting character! He's stuck in hell not by his own hands with no way out (literally). Everyone around him has given him grace but 30 years is enough. He's on the out with everyone when Nalla comes into his life. She, in essence, saved him in a way. She made him finally figure out that he has someone worth going the extra mile for. It was actually pretty sweet!
It's not my favorite way to read but overall it was great! This was one of those books where I actually liked the side stories happening (which doesn't happen very often with BDB). So overall it was a fantastic read! I regret letting this sit on my TBR for as long as it did!
P.S. Could we get more BDB Prison Camp and Legacy? Pretty please? 🥺
Nalla is definitely Z's daughter. They're both stubborn and hardheaded. When they make up their minds it's game over. I understand the turmoil Nalla has gone through all her life. Having to deal with someone who has severe mental health issues like Z is not easy. Even him not wanting to let his daughter see him like that is not easy. Hurtful words were said but everyone did come together and understand each other by the end. Nalla is very much a recluse who doesn't trust people easily and Z has a small part to play in why that is. She's very much not even open to the idea. It was so fascinating seeing Nate break down her walls and vice versa.
Nate was an interesting character! He's stuck in hell not by his own hands with no way out (literally). Everyone around him has given him grace but 30 years is enough. He's on the out with everyone when Nalla comes into his life. She, in essence, saved him in a way. She made him finally figure out that he has someone worth going the extra mile for. It was actually pretty sweet!
It's not my favorite way to read but overall it was great! This was one of those books where I actually liked the side stories happening (which doesn't happen very often with BDB). So overall it was a fantastic read! I regret letting this sit on my TBR for as long as it did!
P.S. Could we get more BDB Prison Camp and Legacy? Pretty please? 🥺
May 17, 2024
Why didn’t I just stay put? Why did I pick this book?!?! I should have known after reading Lassiter…
J. R. Ward took it too far. She’s turning what used to be a fantastic series into pure crap.
This is it for me. Mo more.
J. R. Ward took it too far. She’s turning what used to be a fantastic series into pure crap.
This is it for me. Mo more.
April 9, 2024
Hi everyone, first of all Im from Spain so Im sorry if my english is not the best. Os the first time I write something like this and Im sad to say that I don’t know if I can finish this book.
I ordered it as soon as it was announced and as soon as it was on the air I downloaded it and started reading and at the moment my disappointment cannot be greater... inconsistencies everywhere... Not only with stories that the author mentioned or talked about years ago, even with the previous book.
Spoilers!
NALLA? IS THAT YOU?
At the end of Lassiter's book we see Beth saying about Nalla that is "loyal to her friends and extended family of sorority cousins, a devout daughter." And in the first chapters we find the opposite: a woman who says that this group of people she has grown up with is because she has been forced to do so, with whom she has nothing in common and apears to see herself as superior to them because they dot share her way of seeing things. The relationship with the males (with whom she has grown as a cousin and almost sister) is null and void. Her only friend is Bitty and even she misstreate her when she points out that she wants to spend more time with the others. Her relationship with the other female of the new generation we already know, Lyric, seems to be one of tolerance.
And speaking of Lyric, she and her brother, they are a kind of focus of elegance that move perfectly fine in socially and have a part from frivolity. SERIOUSLY KIDS RAISED BY QHUINN, BLAY, LAYLA AND XCOR FIT IN THAT PICUTRE?
And on the top ..... BITTY and L.W.? I’m sorry but I can not see those two together.... Simply NO!! (Nalla? Lyric? Maybe but not Bitty!! Dont know why but os not ok on my mind)
I’ll finish the book because I bought it and because I may be wrong and then some of this things change, but if it’s gonna be the line, I think my adventure with the Brotherhood ends here... The last books I did not like especially but I called the possibility of the new generation. Maybe because I had a very clear vision of them in my head that is clear (for the moment) goes against what Ward thinks.
I’ll keep recommending this series, but I think for me it would end in "A warm heart in winter" and because I love Blay and Qhuinn. As for the future of the brotherhood, I think I’ll stick with my version.
Of course I look forward to your arrival on the screen!!
I ordered it as soon as it was announced and as soon as it was on the air I downloaded it and started reading and at the moment my disappointment cannot be greater... inconsistencies everywhere... Not only with stories that the author mentioned or talked about years ago, even with the previous book.
Spoilers!
NALLA? IS THAT YOU?
At the end of Lassiter's book we see Beth saying about Nalla that is "loyal to her friends and extended family of sorority cousins, a devout daughter." And in the first chapters we find the opposite: a woman who says that this group of people she has grown up with is because she has been forced to do so, with whom she has nothing in common and apears to see herself as superior to them because they dot share her way of seeing things. The relationship with the males (with whom she has grown as a cousin and almost sister) is null and void. Her only friend is Bitty and even she misstreate her when she points out that she wants to spend more time with the others. Her relationship with the other female of the new generation we already know, Lyric, seems to be one of tolerance.
And speaking of Lyric, she and her brother, they are a kind of focus of elegance that move perfectly fine in socially and have a part from frivolity. SERIOUSLY KIDS RAISED BY QHUINN, BLAY, LAYLA AND XCOR FIT IN THAT PICUTRE?
And on the top ..... BITTY and L.W.? I’m sorry but I can not see those two together.... Simply NO!! (Nalla? Lyric? Maybe but not Bitty!! Dont know why but os not ok on my mind)
I’ll finish the book because I bought it and because I may be wrong and then some of this things change, but if it’s gonna be the line, I think my adventure with the Brotherhood ends here... The last books I did not like especially but I called the possibility of the new generation. Maybe because I had a very clear vision of them in my head that is clear (for the moment) goes against what Ward thinks.
I’ll keep recommending this series, but I think for me it would end in "A warm heart in winter" and because I love Blay and Qhuinn. As for the future of the brotherhood, I think I’ll stick with my version.
Of course I look forward to your arrival on the screen!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2024
So, this book is the start of the next generation.
I stopped this series because reasons. I was really excited for Lassiter, and ended up DNF'ing it for being so yawn inducing.
This book just glosses over so much that fans of the series would want.
This book seals the deal - I'm done with this series. It was fun in the beginning.
I stopped this series because reasons. I was really excited for Lassiter, and ended up DNF'ing it for being so yawn inducing.
This book just glosses over so much that fans of the series would want.
This book seals the deal - I'm done with this series. It was fun in the beginning.
October 28, 2024
10/27/24
Reread in anticipation of A Bloom in Winter to be released in a couple weeks. I had forgotten how much I loved Zsadist and Vishous’ banter in this one.
4.5 Second Generation Stars!!!
I have been a huge fan of the Black Dagger Brotherhood since its inception years ago.
The ending of Lassiter was mind blowing. I was concerned about the time jump in this book and how it would affect the series. My concerns were baseless, The Warden totally and effortlessly pulled it off. So despite my initial reservations, she pulled it off brilliantly. Seeing LW, Bitty, and Nalla as adults is so exciting. However; I do wish we would have gotten more info about Wrath’s “In Between.”
Nate. Wow he’s one angry vamp, he’s calculating, cynical, cold, and a straight up killer who plays by his own rules which gets him booted from BDB rotation to protect the species. Seems that only Nalla may have the magic touch to soothe his cynical soul.
While I know the story was about the next generation, of course I read the book to meet the grown up next generation but naturally to see the original brothers back together again, we did get them, but certainly no where near enough.
I do wish we’d see the recruits from the BDB Legacy series finally incorporated into the series, after all they did their training and was on rotation….but their nowhere in sight.
I want mooooore!! I'm excited to see who the next book will feature….I’m thinking LW and Bitty but not positive on that.
April 5, 2024
Black Dagger Brotherhood
The Next Generation
As I see it, this new part of the series is not different from the last 21 books. This can be a good thing, or it can be a bad thing if you were hoping for something fresh and new.
Wrath is back (frankly, I didn't remember that he left!), and thirty years have passed. We now have robots or Androids as cops! Interesting. But as far as I can tell, that seems to be the only significant difference in the time change. Weapons are the same—guns are guns, knives are knives.
Love is still love, and we still have the major angst in one half of the relationship as in the past. The "kids" are way more rude to their parents and adopted parents than I can remember happening in the first 21 books!
Lash is creating Lessor's hand-over-fist. I have a feeling this group, which has the catchphrase Resolve to Evolve, is responsible for the large turnout of new Lessors, but it's just a hunch.
I am curious about one thing (and I really need to re-read the last book, darn it!) and that is, how did George live the thirty years that have passed?
At any rate, this was an interesting start to this new generation.
*ARC was supplied by the publisher Simon & Schuster/ Gallery Books, the author J. R Ward, and Edelweiss/ATTL. My thanks to all.
The Next Generation
As I see it, this new part of the series is not different from the last 21 books. This can be a good thing, or it can be a bad thing if you were hoping for something fresh and new.
Wrath is back (frankly, I didn't remember that he left!), and thirty years have passed. We now have robots or Androids as cops! Interesting. But as far as I can tell, that seems to be the only significant difference in the time change. Weapons are the same—guns are guns, knives are knives.
Love is still love, and we still have the major angst in one half of the relationship as in the past. The "kids" are way more rude to their parents and adopted parents than I can remember happening in the first 21 books!
Lash is creating Lessor's hand-over-fist. I have a feeling this group, which has the catchphrase Resolve to Evolve, is responsible for the large turnout of new Lessors, but it's just a hunch.
I am curious about one thing (and I really need to re-read the last book, darn it!) and that is, how did George live the thirty years that have passed?
At any rate, this was an interesting start to this new generation.
*ARC was supplied by the publisher Simon & Schuster/ Gallery Books, the author J. R Ward, and Edelweiss/ATTL. My thanks to all.
April 15, 2024
I will always be a BDB fan….buuuuuuuut…I was not thrilled with this book. There was to much time focused on the Evan (Lesser) character and his story (I’m talking chapters and chapters which I skipped through) and not enough spent on the getting to know the new generation. I was hoping Nalla’s and Nate’s story would be more exciting but unfortunately it was pretty boring.
Another thing I found weird was the kids of the original BDB said they group up parallel to each other and weren’t really close. However they all lived together in an underground bunker for the last 30 years. How do they not know each other? It was weird and it was never explained. Especially as they all call the parents Aunts and Uncle.
Wrath reappears after 30 years and there’s no heartfelt or excitement about his return. Z, V and Tohr are just like hey man welcome back. Like wtf? Where’s Phury, Butch, John Mathew, xhex, Blay and Quinn?
Also they abandoned the mansions because it’s not safe but the clinic is still there and it’s totally safe 🤦🏻♀️ there were so many plot holes in this book. I don’t know if she felt rushed or is just struggling to build the next generation.
This may be where by BDB journey ends. Which makes me really really sad.
Another thing I found weird was the kids of the original BDB said they group up parallel to each other and weren’t really close. However they all lived together in an underground bunker for the last 30 years. How do they not know each other? It was weird and it was never explained. Especially as they all call the parents Aunts and Uncle.
Wrath reappears after 30 years and there’s no heartfelt or excitement about his return. Z, V and Tohr are just like hey man welcome back. Like wtf? Where’s Phury, Butch, John Mathew, xhex, Blay and Quinn?
Also they abandoned the mansions because it’s not safe but the clinic is still there and it’s totally safe 🤦🏻♀️ there were so many plot holes in this book. I don’t know if she felt rushed or is just struggling to build the next generation.
This may be where by BDB journey ends. Which makes me really really sad.
April 14, 2024
The Beloved was phenomenal! This was the story I needed it to be and I loved every second. The emotion, the healing, the drama, and the humor were exceptional. After the ending of Lassiter, this was the perfect follow-up. I loved the characters and the evolution of the world, and I’m thrilled about what’s been set up for future stories. This was a fantastic story in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
I loved Nate and Nalla and their journey of coming together. I felt so much for Nate, the pain he was in, and what he was working through. This male was fierce, gone was the young person I knew from before. I loved Bella, she’s a badass in her own right. I felt for her and where she was at with her relationship with her parents because of how protective Zsadist was. Nate and Nalla have their ups and downs and there are obstacles in their way, making for an intense ride getting to their HEA but it was so worth it.
Wrath is back and every time there was a scene with him, I swear I got choked up. There were so many incredible moments that made my heart feel full. I loved Zsadist and seeing how much he’s grown. He’s so strong yet scarred from his past. His love for his daughter is immense and like any parent, he has a hard time letting go. I adored a heart-to-heart he had with Vishous and I am delighted about what has been set up there. There was a large cast of characters and I loved all the mentions of Brothers and fighters. I loved meeting the kids who are now all grown up and getting glimpses of their personalities. I appreciated the time jump because seeing them as adults felt normal. I loved getting to know Bitty and who she might possibly be paired up with. There were some really funny moments as well. The banter between LW and Shuli had me cracking up, reminding me of the Brothers back in the day. It was priceless!
In true J. R. Ward fashion, several storylines and POVs are happening and I loved watching them build and develop, I was always looking forward to who I was going to hear from next. I loved the connections and interactions, all the building layers and working parts and I couldn’t wait for things to intersect. There were action-packed moments that had me holding my breath and emotional ones too, I found it all exciting!
This book consumed me and there was never a time I wanted to put it down. Times have changed, it's been 33 years, the world has changed, the kids have grown, and the original characters have grown too. Plus, there is the war and Lessening Society adding chaos. It all worked for me and I loved the new dynamics. I am beyond excited for more stories and to see how this world will continue to grow. I loved it all!
Complimentary copy received from Gallery Books.
I loved Nate and Nalla and their journey of coming together. I felt so much for Nate, the pain he was in, and what he was working through. This male was fierce, gone was the young person I knew from before. I loved Bella, she’s a badass in her own right. I felt for her and where she was at with her relationship with her parents because of how protective Zsadist was. Nate and Nalla have their ups and downs and there are obstacles in their way, making for an intense ride getting to their HEA but it was so worth it.
Wrath is back and every time there was a scene with him, I swear I got choked up. There were so many incredible moments that made my heart feel full. I loved Zsadist and seeing how much he’s grown. He’s so strong yet scarred from his past. His love for his daughter is immense and like any parent, he has a hard time letting go. I adored a heart-to-heart he had with Vishous and I am delighted about what has been set up there. There was a large cast of characters and I loved all the mentions of Brothers and fighters. I loved meeting the kids who are now all grown up and getting glimpses of their personalities. I appreciated the time jump because seeing them as adults felt normal. I loved getting to know Bitty and who she might possibly be paired up with. There were some really funny moments as well. The banter between LW and Shuli had me cracking up, reminding me of the Brothers back in the day. It was priceless!
In true J. R. Ward fashion, several storylines and POVs are happening and I loved watching them build and develop, I was always looking forward to who I was going to hear from next. I loved the connections and interactions, all the building layers and working parts and I couldn’t wait for things to intersect. There were action-packed moments that had me holding my breath and emotional ones too, I found it all exciting!
This book consumed me and there was never a time I wanted to put it down. Times have changed, it's been 33 years, the world has changed, the kids have grown, and the original characters have grown too. Plus, there is the war and Lessening Society adding chaos. It all worked for me and I loved the new dynamics. I am beyond excited for more stories and to see how this world will continue to grow. I loved it all!
Complimentary copy received from Gallery Books.
April 9, 2024
It’s been just about a year since JR Ward’s Lassiter hit readers’ hands with shock and awe (and just a little bit of “what did I just read?”). No fear, The Beloved is here and Ward has delivered on promises across the board. The 33-year gap was handled with Ward’s typical flair and depth of insight to her characters that had me turning pages as fast as I could. For me, I felt the time jump but the story flowed organically. More importantly, Brothers that have taken a back seat more recently filled the pages and it was a wonderful reunion.
Nalla and Nate fit together perfectly and their story reflects her parents’ story, while at the same time feeling fresh and new. I loved both these characters as they matured into adulthood while still carrying the weight of their childhood experiences. Truthfully, I relished the scenes between all the young-now adults-pushing back at their parents as they make their own way in the world. It is so well done and gives readers new insight into the characters we have grown to love over the last 20 years. There is one scene between Zsadist and V that may be my all-time favorite scene in the entire series, yet at the same time the newer fighters are forming their own “bromances” with hilarity and loyalty.
Like all of her BDB books, The Beloved features many different POVs, which move the plot along nicely. The Lessers are back and very different that the ones we first met in Dark Lover. We are treated to reunions that bring a tear to the eye and hints at what to expect next from Ward and the BDB. Honestly, The Beloved has just wet my appetite for more of the Black Dagger Brotherhood!
Thank you to Gallery Books for an early copy in exchange for honest feedback.
Nalla and Nate fit together perfectly and their story reflects her parents’ story, while at the same time feeling fresh and new. I loved both these characters as they matured into adulthood while still carrying the weight of their childhood experiences. Truthfully, I relished the scenes between all the young-now adults-pushing back at their parents as they make their own way in the world. It is so well done and gives readers new insight into the characters we have grown to love over the last 20 years. There is one scene between Zsadist and V that may be my all-time favorite scene in the entire series, yet at the same time the newer fighters are forming their own “bromances” with hilarity and loyalty.
Like all of her BDB books, The Beloved features many different POVs, which move the plot along nicely. The Lessers are back and very different that the ones we first met in Dark Lover. We are treated to reunions that bring a tear to the eye and hints at what to expect next from Ward and the BDB. Honestly, The Beloved has just wet my appetite for more of the Black Dagger Brotherhood!
Thank you to Gallery Books for an early copy in exchange for honest feedback.
Want to read
June 25, 2023Nalla's book!!!!!!!
We get to see Zsadist as a badass protective daddy to a grown-up daughter!!
We get to see Zsadist as a badass protective daddy to a grown-up daughter!!
April 25, 2024
Full Disclosure - I haven't read the last 2 books prior to this one. So, I missed some stuff prior to arriving at this 30+ year time jump. From context, I understand some big stuff happened in those 2 books, but it doesn't matter as so much of it obviously got changed back and "corrected" that none of it mattered. So, I'm not sure why it happened in the first place? Never mind that tangent. Let's discuss the book at hand. This one was OK. There were little glimpses of why I loved this series, but a whole lot of why I quit reading it. I think this series was amazing through book 10. Book 11 was meh - love Blay and Qhuinn but hated the rest, and then the series devolved into way too many characters for depth and numerous worldbuilding violations. The BDB became caricatures. After book 19, I finally quit. Yet, here I am again. Those first 10 books have a hold on me that keep me coming back. Will I read the next one? Probably not. Yet, I said no several books ago and here I am.
April 10, 2024
I felt like lackluster. I keep reading because I really loved the first 10 books but each time feels like she’s just milking the readers and doesn’t have a concrete vision about the ending and everything is all over the place and we have a bunch of characters that need to be put in 400 pages so gets a little messy.
Evan’s story here got 1/3 of the book and didn’t showed nothing new to the front. Nate and Nalla should have been the protagonists but felt like they were kind put aside because showing Bitty and LW took precedence so she could have a hook for the next book.
I’m sad to see that almost none of the kids have a good relationship with their parents. They’re on the angst teenager phase or so it seems. We almost didn’t see repercussions in the race itself with Wrath gone. Just everyone moved and V has a tech team now.
A book in the middle of this detailing those things would have been nice. I will keep reading for the nostalgia.
Evan’s story here got 1/3 of the book and didn’t showed nothing new to the front. Nate and Nalla should have been the protagonists but felt like they were kind put aside because showing Bitty and LW took precedence so she could have a hook for the next book.
I’m sad to see that almost none of the kids have a good relationship with their parents. They’re on the angst teenager phase or so it seems. We almost didn’t see repercussions in the race itself with Wrath gone. Just everyone moved and V has a tech team now.
A book in the middle of this detailing those things would have been nice. I will keep reading for the nostalgia.
April 17, 2024
Dont know why I bother with this author still
April 14, 2024
Man, I just hope all the kiddos will have their own personalities and won't end up like carbon copys of the parents... L.W already looks and acts like Wrath 2.0...
Also, 21 books later we are basically back to Dark Lover with the return of the lessers and the Omega. The whole Dehstroyer prophecy had zero impact in the end, and I'm not sure what to expect of this series anymore sadly.
------------------
UPDATE: READ: april 10th
Oh boy, have to update because after reading the book I have THOUGHTS.
The stakes were high for this book, because after the sh*tshow that was Lassiter there was just so much to unpack in the new book: showing what happened in the last 30 years with the Brotherhood, building this new future world and explaining the changes, showing how the characters reacted and dealt with the shock of Wrath being back, introducing the new generation to set up their stories while also exploring the love story of the main couple... right? RIGHT? Well no, because we got none of that.
Please I still could not care less about the lessers's POV, we all know they are just there to be k-worded off, they just take up precious page time which could have been used for any of the above I mentioned...
But lets go into details, beware of spoilers!
I was probably expecting too much, but all in all I feel like the BDB world just grew too big and the Warden can not keep up with it anymore... 😔
Also, 21 books later we are basically back to Dark Lover with the return of the lessers and the Omega. The whole Dehstroyer prophecy had zero impact in the end, and I'm not sure what to expect of this series anymore sadly.
------------------
UPDATE: READ: april 10th
Oh boy, have to update because after reading the book I have THOUGHTS.
The stakes were high for this book, because after the sh*tshow that was Lassiter there was just so much to unpack in the new book: showing what happened in the last 30 years with the Brotherhood, building this new future world and explaining the changes, showing how the characters reacted and dealt with the shock of Wrath being back, introducing the new generation to set up their stories while also exploring the love story of the main couple... right? RIGHT? Well no, because we got none of that.
Please I still could not care less about the lessers's POV, we all know they are just there to be k-worded off, they just take up precious page time which could have been used for any of the above I mentioned...
But lets go into details, beware of spoilers!
I was probably expecting too much, but all in all I feel like the BDB world just grew too big and the Warden can not keep up with it anymore... 😔
April 10, 2024
4 stars
When I tell you I started reading and catching up with this series last year just for this book.
I stopped at book 18 (I think) and I was prepared to wait out the whole series (thinking that Lassiter would be the last ever).
I was wrong, obviously, so how could I pass up Nalla's book? Impossible.
It was nice to see all the children grown up and find out little details about what everyone's been doing. I inhaled the first 60% of this book. I don't care if the romance was meh' or that we get lesser POV again, I will read each and every book about those kids.
This series is so special for me, I started it when I was 15. So I grew up with it.
Other than the nostalgia and seeing how the author managed the time jump (I think it was pretty good, advanced enough to be believable but not so that it's ridiculous), Nalla's story wasn't that wow. Can't say I get why Nate was chosen for her and their part was sped up so much at the end.
But now I can't wait for LW's book which I hope won't be next year.
Also, it was ridiculously funny how they used Lassiter's name in phrases and exclamations.
8/10 would recommend
When I tell you I started reading and catching up with this series last year just for this book.
I stopped at book 18 (I think) and I was prepared to wait out the whole series (thinking that Lassiter would be the last ever).
I was wrong, obviously, so how could I pass up Nalla's book? Impossible.
It was nice to see all the children grown up and find out little details about what everyone's been doing. I inhaled the first 60% of this book. I don't care if the romance was meh' or that we get lesser POV again, I will read each and every book about those kids.
This series is so special for me, I started it when I was 15. So I grew up with it.
Other than the nostalgia and seeing how the author managed the time jump (I think it was pretty good, advanced enough to be believable but not so that it's ridiculous), Nalla's story wasn't that wow. Can't say I get why Nate was chosen for her and their part was sped up so much at the end.
But now I can't wait for LW's book which I hope won't be next year.
Also, it was ridiculously funny how they used Lassiter's name in phrases and exclamations.
8/10 would recommend
April 12, 2024
I gave this two stars because the story was ok. After I finished reading, I sat and wondered what was the purpose of it. It's the next morning and I still haven't figured it out.
There's plenty of action in this book, but as usual the Lessers are still the bad guys. So, no resolution to that tired trope.
The main love story is between Zsadist's daughter Nalla and Nate. I liked that part the most.
Maybe something brewing between Bitty and LW...
The Brothers have moved out of the Mansion (no definite reason) and are living in an underground complex too small for them all. Why? Fritz is miserable there.
I don't just love all of Ward's books in this series and this is one of those, for sure.
There's plenty of action in this book, but as usual the Lessers are still the bad guys. So, no resolution to that tired trope.
The main love story is between Zsadist's daughter Nalla and Nate. I liked that part the most.
Maybe something brewing between Bitty and LW...
The Brothers have moved out of the Mansion (no definite reason) and are living in an underground complex too small for them all. Why? Fritz is miserable there.
I don't just love all of Ward's books in this series and this is one of those, for sure.
Want to read
May 5, 2023Super excited!!!!!!
April 26, 2024
This was a huge disappointment. We're just reading the same recycled story over and over, just what different leads. And the fact that she basically gives a ridiculous explanation to what was obviously the end of a character just pushed me over the edge. I'm officially done.
April 11, 2024
So far i'm on chapter 24 and Nalla is one hell of a drip.
Nate and Nalla were hellishly boring they made this book 80% unreadable.
Nate and Nalla were hellishly boring they made this book 80% unreadable.
April 9, 2024
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #22
Rating: 4 stars - It was really good
After reading Lassiter’s book, I will admit I was hesitant to read this because I had a lot of issues with bringing back the Lessening Society and Wrath’s 30 year disappearance. But since this is how the story has played out, I decided to see what will happen next and see what the brotherhood’s children are now like since they are all grown up. While I am still not happy with how this has played out, I did enjoy this story because it was reminiscent of the early BDB books, which are my favorite.
Nalla is struggling to live her life under the cage of being Zsadist daughter. We see her push back at both her father and mother about how she felt and basically leave to live at Safe Place for a while. Nalla may be sheltered but we quickly realize she is her fathers daughter. I love seeing her come out of her shell and embrace fighting for what she wants, both physically and verbally. It doesn’t surprise me that Nalla can kickass and doesn’t back down from a fight with who her parents are.
I will be honest, I didn’t remember who Nate was when I started this book. Nate is Sarah and Murhder’s adopted son that they rescued from a human research lab and who was later resurrected by Rahvyn and now cannot die. Nate is now a dangerous and reckless adult who has been outed from the BDB because they can’t rely on him. He struggles under the weight of his childhood and the reality of never being able to die. Nate was a great character who I loved getting to know and he reminded me so much of Zsadist, especially in how he felt alone until he found the right person to love him.
One of the best parts of this book is the character growth from both Nalla and Nate. Nalla starts as a woman who still views her parents through a child's lens and struggles to understand why she was left out sometimes and by the end realizes they are humans who were dealing with a traumatic past and trying to raise a child. Nate goes from unfeeling and just wanting to die, to finding his mate and realizing life is precious and he is grateful he can’t die on her while fighting.
While I still don’t love the progression of this series, I did really enjoy Nate and Nalla’s story, but like I said in the beginning I still have issues that the Lessers were brought back. The war against the Lessening Society is basically back where we were with book one and I am disappointed in that but hopefully we don’t have to go through 20 more books before it ends again. I did enjoy seeing all the reunions with the brothers and Wrath, especially Wrath and Fitz’s reunion. I am still waiting to see more bonding between Wrath and his son though.
Basically, while I am conflicted about this series, I still enjoyed this one a lot more than I expected and will be reading the next one now, especially to see what is going on between Bitty and L.W.
TW: discussions of experimentation, imprisonment, self-harm, suicide, slavery, and death of a parent; PTSD and nightmares; car accident; gun and knife violence and injuries;
*ARC provided by Gallery Books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Rating: 4 stars - It was really good
After reading Lassiter’s book, I will admit I was hesitant to read this because I had a lot of issues with bringing back the Lessening Society and Wrath’s 30 year disappearance. But since this is how the story has played out, I decided to see what will happen next and see what the brotherhood’s children are now like since they are all grown up. While I am still not happy with how this has played out, I did enjoy this story because it was reminiscent of the early BDB books, which are my favorite.
Nalla is struggling to live her life under the cage of being Zsadist daughter. We see her push back at both her father and mother about how she felt and basically leave to live at Safe Place for a while. Nalla may be sheltered but we quickly realize she is her fathers daughter. I love seeing her come out of her shell and embrace fighting for what she wants, both physically and verbally. It doesn’t surprise me that Nalla can kickass and doesn’t back down from a fight with who her parents are.
I will be honest, I didn’t remember who Nate was when I started this book. Nate is Sarah and Murhder’s adopted son that they rescued from a human research lab and who was later resurrected by Rahvyn and now cannot die. Nate is now a dangerous and reckless adult who has been outed from the BDB because they can’t rely on him. He struggles under the weight of his childhood and the reality of never being able to die. Nate was a great character who I loved getting to know and he reminded me so much of Zsadist, especially in how he felt alone until he found the right person to love him.
One of the best parts of this book is the character growth from both Nalla and Nate. Nalla starts as a woman who still views her parents through a child's lens and struggles to understand why she was left out sometimes and by the end realizes they are humans who were dealing with a traumatic past and trying to raise a child. Nate goes from unfeeling and just wanting to die, to finding his mate and realizing life is precious and he is grateful he can’t die on her while fighting.
While I still don’t love the progression of this series, I did really enjoy Nate and Nalla’s story, but like I said in the beginning I still have issues that the Lessers were brought back. The war against the Lessening Society is basically back where we were with book one and I am disappointed in that but hopefully we don’t have to go through 20 more books before it ends again. I did enjoy seeing all the reunions with the brothers and Wrath, especially Wrath and Fitz’s reunion. I am still waiting to see more bonding between Wrath and his son though.
Basically, while I am conflicted about this series, I still enjoyed this one a lot more than I expected and will be reading the next one now, especially to see what is going on between Bitty and L.W.
TW: discussions of experimentation, imprisonment, self-harm, suicide, slavery, and death of a parent; PTSD and nightmares; car accident; gun and knife violence and injuries;
*ARC provided by Gallery Books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
April 13, 2024
I loved this SO MUCH!! It's been a while since i've given a BDB book 5 stars....lots of 4.5 stars but nothing has really quite given me all the feels that the earlier books did, in fact i think Tohr's book might have been my last 5 star read in this series... the last of the OGs! This book felt like the original BDB books...way more focused on the main couple and their romance, which i clearly LOVE!! There were not a million weird and crazy side stories and there was NO LASH AND DEVINA...Yay!! In fact, the Lesser parts...although i still find them boring (that's mostly because i just want to get back to the main story) i found these parts kind of sad in this book... i felt really bad for Evan.
I loved Nate and Nalla's love story, they were so sweet together, LOVED the reunion between Wrath and Beth (although i could have done with even more of that)...and all the brothers (Lassiter and Fritz included) and i am totally crushing on and am all in for. I really hope their book is next!! I'm even looking forward to an eventual book for Shuli...i didn't really care for him in bast books but his bantering with LW was hilarious, and now they're obviously stuck together. A+++ for this being a call back to what made me fall in love with this series in the first place.
** I stand behind my 5 star review and loving that it was more romance focused,however, after giving some thought to the romance between Nalla and Nate… It felt a tiny bit rushed and out of nowhere considering they’ve both been around for quite a long time and there wasn’t a single interaction between those two in past books, but I think that’s probably because of that 30 yr jump, which I get why JRWard did it but I think we lost a lot of detail on where everyone was at during that time by not getting to “see” it
I loved Nate and Nalla's love story, they were so sweet together, LOVED the reunion between Wrath and Beth (although i could have done with even more of that)...and all the brothers (Lassiter and Fritz included) and i am totally crushing on and am all in for. I really hope their book is next!! I'm even looking forward to an eventual book for Shuli...i didn't really care for him in bast books but his bantering with LW was hilarious, and now they're obviously stuck together. A+++ for this being a call back to what made me fall in love with this series in the first place.
** I stand behind my 5 star review and loving that it was more romance focused,however, after giving some thought to the romance between Nalla and Nate… It felt a tiny bit rushed and out of nowhere considering they’ve both been around for quite a long time and there wasn’t a single interaction between those two in past books, but I think that’s probably because of that 30 yr jump, which I get why JRWard did it but I think we lost a lot of detail on where everyone was at during that time by not getting to “see” it
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