Lover Revealed by J.R.Ward
published by Onyx Paranormal Romance in March 2007
Nath’s grade: 3/5 (for John)
I can’t say that I was disappointed, because I didn’t really have any expectations about this book. I mean Butch is human. And I didn’t really like Marissa anyway. She came off as kind of doormat-ish in Dark Lover (which I just finished rereading).
I agree wholeheartedly with
Butch O'Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard living, ex-homicide cop, he's the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world- to engage in the turf war with the lessers. He's got nothing to lose. His heart belongs to a female vampire, an aristocratic beauty who's way out of his league. If he can't have her, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers...
Fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, found by a miracle, the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back, though even her love may not be enough to save him...
Genre: vampires
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book #4
What I wanted to read this book for was all the man-love that was supposedly going on. I love the man-love. But I didn’t really think it was that obvious in this book. I mean, Butch doesn’t feel anything that way for Viscious. So my new man-love obsession is going to be Blaylock, because I think he’s gay. Well, I’m hoping he’s gay.
Personally, I wasn’t going to buy this book at all… or at least wait a couple of weeks or months, but then everyone started gushing about it and well, I wanted to do a buddy review with you, Ames :P As for the man-love, are you sure it was ever there? Well I guess yeah, Viscious does feel something for Butch, but I don’t think it’s love with a bit “L”… maybe envy or needing… but not the undying kind of love. As for Blaylock, seriously I don’t know where you got the idea that he might be gay ^^; But hey, I hope you’re right if it’s going to make you enjoy the rest of the series better :P
As with Lover Awakened, I skipped the lesser parts. I could have kind of skipped the Butch and Marissa parts as well. I just didn’t connect with them as a couple. In fact, I was enjoying the glimpses of other couples we saw more. Like Z and Bella running through the hall. And Wrath and Beth. I heart WRATH. He was so gloriously jealous when Beth had to feed Butch. I ate that right up!
Lessers – bleh. How many of you are reading those parts, raise your hands! Maybe I’m missing something by skipping those parts, but so far I don’t feel the loss LOL. When I bought the book, I decided to give Butch and Marissa a chance… and it lasted two chapters. After all their whining and self-pity – I just wasn’t interested and they just hadn’t caught my interest :P So I was a bad girl and I did skip their parts – no wonder I was able to finish the book in one night :P I too enjoyed the other “old” characters more… As for new ones… it looks to me like way too much sequel baiting and it complicates the story so much. Seriously, where are we heading to? Does someone know?
And the only reason I’m going to keep reading this series is for John. I can’t wait for John to go through his transformation. And no, I don’t think John will be gay, and I don’t want him to be.
I love John! And just like
So that’s it. Read this book for John.
Amen.
Anyway, just to sum it up, I thought Lover Revealed follow the same path as the previous ones and that nothing special really happened. In my opinion, Butch and Marissa are Ms. Ward’s weakest characters to date. What frustrates me also is that the more you read, the more unanswered questions you come up with… Ms. Ward keeps adding characters and complex storylines, but besides the fact that it’ll allow her to write more books, is there a significance to them? Also, what is happening to Viscious? I don’t recognize him anymore…
Oh and here is a series of questions that Sandie has come up with for those of us who have read Lover Revealed. If you’re interested in another opinion of the book, you can read Sandie’s review here :D
- Pg. 341. Why the reference to Star Trek?! Spock and Kirk. hmmm. I found this line funny...just thought it seemed out of the norm for JR. Whatever...
A: I noticed that too!! I don’t know. LOL Oooh, maybe it has to do with those rumours that Kirk and Spock were lovers?
N: Reference to Star Trek? Where, what?
2. Pg. 308. Is it me, or do you think Wrath's trying to pull JM into the BDB inner circle a bit early? I know he's very unhappy that Tohr has left but...I dunno, I just wonder if this was too much foreshadowing?
A: I think the earlier the Brothers feel like John is one of them, the easier it’ll be for him. And he is one of them (being Darius reincarnated), so I don’t think he’s being pulled in too early.
N: Well, John’s special and he’s also alone. I mean it seems that all of John’s classmates have an entourage to support them, but John doesn’t. His entourage was Tohr and his family and they’re gone. I believe that if Tohr was still there, the brotherhood wouldn’t be pulling John in yet, but given the circumstances, no… I don’t think it’s too early.
3. Pg. 265, Why are there so many coffins in the garage? Do you think its the caskets that the BDB were shipped to NY in? Or is this a sign of something else to come???????
A: I was wondering about that myself. It has to be a sign of things to come.
N: coffins?!? Hmm, I guess I did miss a lot ^^;
4. Random page numbers...How many 270-290 male vampires ranging from 6'2" to 6'7" CAN fit into an Escalade ESV? Seriously, what's the next step for hauling all them big-ass vamps around? Using the school's short school bus?Not everyone's gonna roll with that....
A: It looks like 4 would fit. And maybe someone in the trunk. How many rows of seating?
N: All right… how big is an Escalade ESV? :P but yeah, I’d go with the same answer as
5. Who's gonna leave the mansion next? We are gonna be popping at the seams soon...so, who's gonna fly? And who far will they go? Build a compound of vampires all protected by mhis?
A: The mansion is a mansion-no one is going anywhere. Plus there’s the house where V stays.
N: ^^;
6. How hot is Qhuinn?! 1 blue eye and 1 green eye...can't wait to see what happens with him.
A: I thought his name was ridiculous and I think Blaylock is hotter.
N: Ugh, yet another character. You know, the more I read and the more I’m thinking Dark-Hunters…
7. Who thinks Blaylock is gay? If so, is he gonna be shagging which brother?
A: He’s gay he’s gay!! He’s going to get his own story line!! I don’t want him with a brother. He’ll get his own lover/storyline. Oooh it would be best if he were bi. Get some m/m/f loving going on!
N: LOL
10 comments:
Per #2, I think JM also has a scar of the BDB tattoo, right? So there's some mystery about how he got that. I can't remember because I think I'm one of the very few people who don't find JM interesting at all. I hate that he got his own POV in this book - he had nothing to do with Butch and Marissa!
I really hope JRW ties up this series arc over the 10 books and then builds another one for subsequent characters even if it's still considered the same series for marketing purposes.
There are going to be ten books in this series and I am seeing people lose interest already... not good...
Oh gosh-how could I have missed this?
As for the man love, I had to reread Lover Awakened to see what everyone else was talking about in regards to it.
So yeah, it's not like it's hitting you over the head. LOL
I'm nodding along for the most part except I was head over heels for Butch and Ward done him wrong!! I'm trying to overcome my bitterness but I'm not sure I care about any other characters. I skipped the lesser parts for the first time (guess what, the ones in this book die just like the lessers in the previous books - therefore, there is not a BIG BAD that goes from book to book so I don't care) and skimmed the John parts because I'm not one to read about YA. I'm very unpopular that way ;)
Ames - that scene where Wrath got jealous - I think I was well on my way to bitter by this point so when he grabbed her and sank her fangs in and then glared at everyone - I literally thought of a dog with a bone. I think it was the glaring thing - if he had just buried himself into her I would have felt that she had some sort of power instead of hanging from his jaws.
Aren't I just delightful ;) And I was crazy mad for these books and I LOVED Z's book!
I really enjoyed how you guys did this write up and it's funny how people mention characters like Blaylock (I have no clue why you think he's gay) and I'm usually clueless.
Oh and the manlove was completely toned down - in Z's book when Butch orgasms while V is holding him down after making him drink his blood? THAT is man love ;)
CindyS
Kat - I wonder when they're going to realize that JM is the reincarnation of Darius ^^; Perhaps when he go through his transformation and look like a copy image of Darius. I can understand too, why you would be annoyed that JM has his own POV in the book, while it has nothing to do with him... but for me, he was the most enjoyable part.
Kailana - wait, 10 books? I didn't know that! I hope she's going to do something else after 10 books instead of continuing ^^;
Zeek - Hey there :D There's really no rush... seriously. As for lessers... I think that I know one or two ppl who read them and enjoy them! :P
Ames - miss what? LOL, it's much easier to find something when you're looking. I say Butch and V are just very, very, very good friends.
Cindy - I guess that's the right description... that John is a YA :P As for the lessers, wouldn't Omega be considered as the bad evil from book to book... also, the "villain" of the book is always so weak in my opinion.
Cindy, I'm in the same boat for Blaylock... i don't know why Ames thinks he's gay... well perhaps :) Anyway, you're not the only one clueless :P LOL
I really enjoyed your review and perspectives on this series. Whatever else one says, JRW sure generates alot of discussion with her books and that can't be all bad.
For the most part I enjoy the books and don't have a problem with it being 10 books long, just so long as it ends. It also doesn't bother me that JRW doesn't hit every one out of the park, that's the nature of a series.
To me the BDB is so perfect and so obviously superior to the lessers that there is no real suspense or drama to the conflict between the two. There has got to be a better or meaningful "bad guy" for the books to continue to have some motivation.
Nath - I'm not convinced I want them to know JM is Darius reincarnated. I mean, let the guy get his own story for his own sake. But it seems JRW has some grand plan for him. I didn't like the way he gets flashbacks from his own life. WTF? He had a deal with the Scribe Virgin. I thought that was unbreakable. I thought that was A Rule.
Don't get me wrong, I think JM's story is interesting, but until he gets his own book, I think his character should be rendered from the Brothers' point of view. In this story, he had absolutely nothing to do with Butch or Marissa. If he had even a smidgeon of relevance, I would have been happy. But no, he really didn't.
And yes, she has 10 books planned. I had thought she had 6 books then 4 more (i.e. two story arcs) but the latest interviews/Q&As seem to indicate that the story arc will run through the 10 books...and it's now open-ended. Argh! That's like the death sentence for a series. What's wrong with finishing the originally planned story arc, then cooking something up for the next set of books? Because other characters have appeared on JRW's Boards and you can always tell, from the way she describes them, whether or not they'll be getting their own books. There are at least 3 I can think of and I'm not even really a regular there. Yeah, I really don't want her to go down the SK route. And I'm sorry, but a hero named Manny isn't particularly attractive to me, Porsche or no.
I sound like I hate these books but seriously, I'm such a fangirl I make myself want to vhomit (TM-"Bham"). I really just don't want this series to degenerate.
"I didn't like the way he gets flashbacks from his own life."
That was meant to read: I don't like the way he gets flashbacks from his OLD life.
Yeah, I am wondering how far this series can go without losing its story integrity....I hope the plot gets stronger and more involved with the whole "king shit" that Wrath and Beth are creating. I feel like a lot of that is being left out for the sake of page count and lesser story line.
I don't think Blaylock is gay.
I think he's confused...he never did admit to wanting Jasmine (sp.) did he?
hmmmm....
Cheers,
Sandie
I have the image of a mini-bus full of enormous leather-clad vampire singing "99 bottles of beer on the wall" in my head. Excellent. Who drives the bus anyway? That little creepy doggen guy? I could so see that, him with a little hat on or something.
I'm with the Blaylock is gay folks. He was awfully dodgy about the turning and talking about chicks.
I like the Blaylock-Qhuinn-John thing. It's like Saved by the Bell: the New Class, or hopefully,DeGrassi:the Next Generation.
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