Lover Awakened

Author: J.R. Ward
Published: September 5, 2006 (Signet)
Category: Paranormal Romance
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #3
Quote of Choice: Zsadist's shitkickers carried him through an alley off Trade Street, the heavy soles stomping apart frozen slush puddles and crushing through the icy ripples of tire treads.

I have some serious issues with this series. Sometimes I feel like Ward is trying to shove the idea that these are some badass warrior vampires we're dealing with. The reader is often reminded that the brothers like to wear leathers and shitkicker boots. I really don't care that they're wearing shitkickers, but I was reminded several times. I actually don't care what kind of footwear the vamps care to sport! And the male vampires' names are completely ridiculous. Tohrment. Phury. Zsadist. Rhage. I have to force myself to get over the ridiculousness of their names because the story is actually pretty good once you get past the silly stuff.

The previous Black Dagger Brotherhood novels have told the stories of Wrath ::snort:: and Rhage ::giggle::, and now we come to Zsadist, the most badassy of badasses. You don't want to mess with this guy. He's got tattoos and piercings, and it's said he kills women for fun. However, Bella, a beautiful female from vampire society's upper class (like the ton of regency England), has managed to get under his skin. She was abducted by the lessers (vampire slayers) and assumed dead. Despite the assumption, Zsadist would demand information about Bella whenever he had a slayer in his death grip.

Even though I snark about the ridiculous names and big boots, the story is pretty good.... if you like stories about emotionally damaged heroes and the women who help them become human again. Out of all three Black Dagger novels, this one is my favorite. It had a good ending, although there was some sad stuff along the way, but in terms of the couple's happy ending, I was completely satisfied.