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Stars: 3 / 5
Recommendation: The Black Dagger Brotherhood and the vampires certainly creates a universe that keeps you on the edge. Complex plot weaving and anticipation of future books keeps the reader immersed. With the Band of Bastards, the brotherhood works to find the culprit, while they fight the glymera and the lessers, all the while traversing thru the stories of more than the lead pair.
Lover Reborn is the tenth book in the long running Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J. R. Ward. The series deals with Vampires and Humans, trying to co-exist and at the same time fight the evils in both species. This book was published in March of 2012.
Wrath is also the Blind King of the Vampire Species apart from being the leader of the Brotherhood and he is mated to Beth Randall. The remaining Brotherhood are – Rhage (shellan Mary Luce), Tohrment “Tohr” (Official leader of the Brotherhood since Wrath ascended the throne), Vishous “V” (shellan Dr. Jane Whitcomb), Phury (shellan Cormia), Zsadist (Phury’s twin, “Z”, shellan Bella) and Butch O’Neal (Dhestroyer, a human turned vampire and inducted into the Brotherhood as of Book #4, shellan Marissa). Rhev even though a sympath we see his story too (shellan Ehlena). Three boys that join them are John Matthew (shellan Xhex), Blaylock and Qhuinn who are not yet in the brotherhood. Payne joins the brotherhood and mates with Dr. Manuel Manello. They work together to destroy the lessers (de-souled human whose sole purpose is to kill the Vampires as a member of Lessening Society) who have been slowly working to exterminate the vampires. So far J. R. Ward has written 23 books in this series before she did a spin-off called Black Dagger Legacy.
We saw No’One in Lover Mine (#8) as the mother of Xhex. Thor is not attracted in the beginning as he is still waiting for Wesslie to enter the Fade from the In Between. Lassiter explains why he has to move one. And No’One, the Chosen, with a shady history intrigues him. Against the backdrop of the raging war with the lessers, and with a new clan of vampires vying for the Blind King’s throne, Tohr struggles between the buried past and a very hot, passion-filled future…but can his heart let go and set all of them free? The book was set in late April.
No’One and Lassiter work towards getting Thor to move one so Wellsie can move to Fade. Lassiter has hidden agenda in getting him to move so he can move the next goal.
We see an elaborate history of the ceremony of going to Fade for Wellsie is seen in this book. That’s when we learn that No’One also has been in-between herself. The other sub plots of Band of Bastards and Assail are interesting touches here.
The book covers from Spring to beginning of Fall in this giving us glimpses of how the weather looks outside while tehe Brotherhood fight within.
We missed John Matthew and Xhex in the previous book. Naturally a sub-story of them is also show in how they adjust to each other in their new bonded role.
As much as the previous book felt rushed, busy and incomplete, this book surprisingly is the author’s better work. We see a lot of drama for John, Xhex, Qhuinn, Layla, Blaylock and Saxton in this book while we traverse Tohr’s story.
The romances that J. R. Ward spins between the main characters of each book are very romantic and erotic, all spun into one tale. Yet, it bothered me that the characters get attracted to each -other just because they are mated to each other. There are other series’ by Christine Feehan (Dark Series, Leopard Series, Shadow Series, etc.) that follow similar plot. It bothered me there as well, but I read those series. Same goes with this series as well.
The author shows multiple plots within the story and also writes each plot in multiple POVs. This leads to new characters as John and Bella get added to the existing characters. Obviously we will see more future books centering on the new characters also. There is a glossary of all the Terms and Proper Nouns used in the series at the beginning of each book.
J.R. Ward does not thanks to Sue Grafton, the author of the Alphabet series (A series I have to read from E yet.). Sue passed away in 2017 and may be she was cutting back. There is a TV series based on these books in the BDB series by J.R. Ward since 2025 with mixed reviews. This can be watched on Passionflix and Amazon Video with subscription.
The Black Dagger Brotherhood and the vampires certainly creates a universe that keeps you on the edge. Complex plot weaving and anticipation of future books keeps the reader immersed. With the Band of Bastards, the brotherhood works to find the culprit, while they fight the glymera and the lessers, all the while traversing thru the stories of more than the lead pair.
Spoiler Alerts:
1. Plot Reveals: a. In this book, Xcor uses his second-in-command Throe, to lure him to brotherhood, by almost killing him. He also mentions how Xcor still carries the ashes of his long sister. Will Throe turn to brotherhood? b. Qhuinn becomes as the part of Brotherhood on account that he saves Wrath from Xcor. John and Thor support the same. c. No'One is named Autumn in this book. d. Layla mentions her fascination with Xcor, and that she fed him in the Fall. However she does not known that she was manipulated to it. John, Wrath, Qhuinn, Primale Fury and Xhex, all help her understand that and that she will help brotherhood no matter her feelings. However, how can one love the leader of Band of Brothers. That failed me to go to my senses. e. Layla goes into her needing, and even though Layla and Qhuinn have no feelings for each other, he helps her during the needing and hopes for a family so he can belong to something. They form a pact, of sorts. f. Marissa names one of the future wings a Safe Place on behalf of Wellasandra. 2. Sub Plots: a. We see Fritz Perlmutter as the chief doggen, the chief butler, the this brotherhood from the beginning of the series. We also see Trez "Latimer" and his twin iAm work the Rhevenge as Moors since we were introduced to Rhevenge in Lover Awakened (#3). b. From Lover Revealed (#4): The Omega and The Scribe Virgin as brother and sister, but both work in opposite directions - one kills the vampires, one makes the vampires. c. From Lover Enshrined (#6): We might see a book for Lassiter as he stays with Tohr. d. From Lover Avenged (#7): i. The King also makes Rhev as the ruler of the Sympath colony, after he is rescued. We might see more changes in how the Sympath colony works now. ii. Tohr takes blood from The Chosen Selena. Will she be in his story? iii. Wrath truly become blind in this book as opposed to semi-blind he was before. He has a dog, George, assist him in his blindness. e. From Lover Mine (#8) i. We also see more of Layla, as though she support the Brotherhood in giving the blood, but she is disappointed that no one wants her sexually. Yes, Primale had changed the rules, but that is what she wants. ii. Blay after much rejection from Qhuinn forms a relationship with Saxton, Qhuinn's cousin. While Qhuinn starts a kind of relationship with the Chosen Layla, on the fear of glymera totally discounting him. He just want to be normal and not a gay. Both are going in separate ways. Hopefully they will come together. iii. There is a separate story about a haunted mansion who is haunted by a brotherhood. It turns out that he is Murhder. Xhex had dated him at one time and he becomes mad when he knows her truth. Hopefully we will see him in future books. f. From Lover Unleashed (#9): i. Band Of Bastards, led by Xcor, the supposed son of Bloodletter (father of Vishous and Payne). It is formed of Throe, Zypher, Syphon, two cousins and Xcor. ii. Since Butch is a half-breed, he cannot dematerialize. He and Butch relates to each other due to their father; and they relate to Wrath eventually. V volunteers find by them but they decline. iii. Homicide Detective Jose de la Cruz is the old partner of Butch. He is partnered with Thomas DelVeccho Jr. "Veck" after frequently changing his partners.
Galavant Reflections 