Holly and Isabel's Take on Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward

Holly Says

I put off reading this book for as long as possible. I loved Dark Lover. Absolutley adored it. To date it's one of my favorite Paranoramal Romances. Lover Eternal I enjoyed, but I didn't feel the heroine at.all. She drove me batshit, but I got over it because I enjoyed the Brothers and the way the story was written. And I had a really, really bad feeling that this one was going to end up being a terrible disappoitment.

Lover Awakened, the third book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood Series, is the long awaited story of Zsadist. The scared warrior with a very tortured past.

When he was just a child, Zsadist was stolen from his family and sold into slavery. The mistress of the home he worked in took a special liking to him and decided she wanted him all for herself. So she made him a bloodslave. Basically, she kept him chained up and fed from him whenever she felt like it. She also got off on him as often as possible. Unfortunately, Z wasn't all that interested in getting off on her, so she had to use some special love ointment on his "special" parts.

He was held in this manner for many, many years, until his brother rescued him. Now it's however many hundreds of years in the future and there's a girl who wants in Z's pants. But she's not just any girl. She's Bella, an aristocrat in the Vamp world who's had a thing for him for ages...and who just happened to catch Z's interest, too, right before she was captured by some creepy bad guy who has a thing for her. Crazy, messed up love triangle, anyone?

Anywho, Z rescues Bella and takes her home to ma and pa and refuses to let anyone else touch her. He bathes her and cares for her and then when she wakes up....runs from her. Bella knows she should leave him alone, but she just can't. She wants him and needs him and just knows deep down where it really counts that he's the one for her. Of course, Z knows he won't be good for her, so he wants her to hook up with his brother, who just happens to want her. And yet another crazy, messed up love triangle.

The Good: I liked Bella. She seemed pretty level, going after her man and fighting to keep him, until she realized she needed to cut her losses and move on. Pretty smart chicky if you ask me...too bad she didn't just stay gone, though.

I liked the scene where Z comes up on John in the training center and that little maggot dude was picking on him, so Z stepped in and taught them all a lesson. That was great.

I liked seeing more of John and I was thrilled to know I was right about the John/Darius thing. And I'm not referring to John being D's son. Because you know and I know that that's not the case.


The Bad: The crazy Lesser who was obsessed with Bella. WTF? He's a LESSER! He sold his soul to the Omega-dude and he's obsessed with a female vampire he calls wife? I dunno, it was just a little over the top for me.

John/Sarelle. So, he starts fantasizing about a girl that we come to like and then BAM, she's gone? How bout..no?

The Ugly: Phury. He was willing to shoot his own leg off to save his brother but he thought Z was trying to rape Bella one night after she was returned from the Lessers? Yeah, soooooo not in keeping. Plus, he acted like a complete ass. And was it really necessary to have them fall in the love with the same girl? Because they hadn't been through enough together? Riiiight.

Tohr/Wellsie. What was the point in showing us their relationship and making us fall in love with them if you were going to KILL WELLSIE??? Because, honestly, I'm just not seeing the point. AT ALL!

Zhadist. Yes, he was tortured as a child. But it had been HUNDREDS OF YEARS since he'd been released from his captivity. So, uh, why was he still referring to his manroot as IT? Because I would think that even someone who was hurt as he was would have learned a thing or two in a couple of CENTURIES. He lived with a bunch of hard ass warriors who liked sex just as much - if not more - as the next guy and yet he knew NOTHING about it? Like, what? He didn't overhear them talking about it? Puhleez. He reminded me of a...child. And I'm sorry, but it's really hard for me to fall in love with - or respect - a guy who's 200 years old and still throws temper-tantrums and refers to his penis as IT. Plus, it's really hard for me to believe, after reading this book, that he's really a seasoned warrior who could take down 5 Lessers all by his lonesome. Soooo not seeing it.

The slang. Wayyyy over the top. I just can't imagine ANY guy, much less a badass warrior with fangs saying something like "180 us". Most of the guys I know would say, "Turn the fucking car around." You know? And who says Bene? or Benies? Oh.Hell.Naw. Look, babe, I understand that you're a big 50 Cent fan here, but do you think you could cut back....just a lil bit? It was WAY worse in this book than any other. If you don't watch out, before long you'll have dreads and only be able to speak ebonics. I'm thinking that wouldn't be a good thing, true? Yeah, true.

Here's the thing. Like my boy Z, I tend to be into hurting myself, too. So I'm sure I'll end up reading the next book...but I have a feeling I'm not going to like it.

I'm giving this one a:

2.5 out of 5 ~ Because I thought the relationship between the brothers (Z and Phury) morphed well and because I like John Matthew.

Isabel Says

I was enjoying this book. I kept reading it at work when I was supposed to be working. The cheesy slang (Shit kickers, keep the gun in your business hand), Butch having a orgasm with V around. I could handle that. I could handle Z calling his penis an IT. I mean, I understand he viewed his penis as something not a part of him after what he went through witht he mistress.

I loved reading about John. I know he is Darius. I just know it. I loved how Z took care of Bella. Loved how he just layed on the bed exausted from Bella during her needing time.

I also love how Z was learning to read and write. WHen I wrote "I love you" to Bella. Touching.

However, I almost stopped reading when Wellsie died. Why the hell would you show us this couple who are deeply in love with each, and kill his wife. Why? Were you trying to milk another book for your series? Seriously? I want to know why you needed to kill Wellsie. Are you going to kill Mary and Beth too?

If Wellsie had been a skank ass bitch, I could understand. But she wasn't!

Grade: C-

Dark Lover
Lover Eternal