Review: Dark Lover by J.R. Ward

Title: Dark Lover 


Author: J.R. Ward 


Rating: 2.5/5 Stars 


I think it's safe to say that J.R. Ward is one of the most well known names in the adult urban fantasy genre. Needless to say, I was excited and a little nervous to see what all the hype about her books were about - and whether I would even like them. Ultimately however, I think her Black Dagger Brotherhood Series is one that is read purely for entertainment and nothing else. So, although I enjoyed this introduction into her famous book series, I by no means loved it and have gained no inspiration to continue with them either.

When Darius, Wrath's close friend and warrior, is suddenly killed, Wrath is forced to honor his last wish: find his daughter and protect her. Wrath is the king of vampires and to Darius, whose daughter Beth is half-vampire half-human, he knows that only Wrath can help her through her transformation as a vampire. But Beth, ironically enough, has no idea of her true lineage. She has never even met her parents so when Wrath - tall, handsome, and oozing with sex appeal and danger - arrives at her front door, she is more than a little confused, frightened, and aroused. Thus, Beth suddenly finds herself involved with no one either than the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood - a decision that could change her life in ways she never foresaw.


If the title and cover of this book didn't already give it away, I'll just be upfront and say it: there is sex in this book. Lots of it. Too much of it actually in my opinion. I don't mind erotica in the least, but when used in a love story, I like to have my fair share of romantic build-up. Unfortunately for me, Wrath and Beth end up having sex minutes - literally minutes - after they meet. Furthermore, any type of emotional or non-physical relationship that took place between them only happened after multiple sensual scenes, so I felt deprived of what could have been a very good love story.


Furthermore, I felt strangely detached from all the characters. I think this was because this novel was told from multiple perspectives - about four or five to be exact. I don't mind different perspective changes, but it definitely made me, as the reader, feel less invested in the emotional story within this novel and I couldn't really bring myself to care all that much about the characters. In addition, Wrath was simply too un-sexy for me. I don't find body-builder-type people attractive and appearance aside, I didn't find Wrath's personality to be exactly nice either. His stubborn refusal to be with Beth seemed unwarranted and stemmed from absolutely nothing, only adding unnecessary drama into the story. If that wasn't enough, Wrath is a typical alpha-male. I liked the fact that Beth stood up to him on this issue, maintaining some degree of feminism, but I simply could not warm up to Wrath as the male protagonist.


That being said, I think the backstory of Beth's secret lineage was heart-warming and I absolutely lived Fritz, their gentle and caring butler. I also thought that the ideas Ward expressed were unique and original and I can see why she has such a huge fan-base. Yet, I refuse to continue her series. Having read the synopsis of her next few novels, I can say with confidence that each and every one of Ward's stories follows a formulaic writing style: "tortured" male vampire protagonist, a female protagonist who shouldn't be "the one" for the male but is, steamy sex scenes, and probably some unnecessary drama along with a fair share of danger and a touch of murder. I'm not saying this isn't an attractive package, but it's one I refuse to spend time on. The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series is one I can only see returning to when I'm in need of a light and entertaining read. In a publishing world where mind-blowing novels are constantly being written, it seems a shame to waste my time on a predictable series that has failed to leave me emotionally invested. Thus, my venture into this dark and hyped-up world is sadly (or thankfully) ending.

Review: The Possessed by L.J. Smith

Title: The Possessed (Dark Visions #2) 

Author: L.J. Smith 

Rating: 3.5 Stars 

After being thoroughly disappointed by the first novel in L.J. Smith’s Dark Visions trilogy, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the sequel to The Strange Power proved to be an engaging read. The Possessed picked up right where its predecessor left off with Kaitlyn, Anna, Rob, Gabriel, and Lewis fleeing from the Institute. This time, they were hoping to make it to the mysterious location they kept seeing in their joint dream and hoped that the people who lived in the giant white house in their vision would be able to help them. However, their journey there is anything but easy. Not only do they lack transportation, money, and food, but the greatest danger of all may be sitting in their midst.

In this middle novel of Smith’s Dark Visions trilogy, I was able to see the re-emergence of the familiar writing I have grown to love. Although this novel was by no means as haunting, terrifying, or scary as The Forbidden Game, it had its fair share of creepiness in it. Furthermore, the pace had picked up considerably, making the plot a lot more interesting from its predecessor. The most marked difference however between this book and The Strange Power, was the characters. Here, we were finally able to see some depth within Kaitlyn, Rob, Anna, and Lewis – characters who had remained flat and unchanging in the previous novel. Although they do not undergo a large amount of change, I definitely felt as if their demeanor and personalities had been affected by some of the situations they found themselves in.

Nevertheless, I still have to admit, that in terms of characterization, Gabriel stole the show. Gabriel still remains to be the most complex character within this trilogy and I love him for that. Because of his experiences with the crystal in the previous book, Gabriel’s power has manifested in dark ways which he struggles to control and live with. The relationship between Gabriel and Kaitlyn, which has always been rocky and a little uncertain, only becomes more so as the novel progresses. Yet, there is a distinct bond between them that is palpable as they are able to understand each other in a way no one else – not even Rob – possibly can. Even by the end of the novel, Gabriel’s changes are by no means permanent. He shifts with each scenario he is presented and his inner turmoil and battles between good and evil are remarkably evident.

Although I enjoyed this book a lot more than its predecessor, I still felt as if The Possessed lagged in some parts – some sections seemed to drag on and the journey this group faced while in their car driving seemed to go on forever. Furthermore, the ending felt rather rushed and abrupt, leaving plenty of loose ends to be tied up in the sequel. All in all, I feel as if Dark Visions is an interesting trilogy with a unique idea – that of psychic control – that sets it apart from other novels. I’ve definitely enjoyed reading Dark Visions, but it is no where close to the level of incredible that Smith’s Forbidden Game was. I only hope it manages to reach its full potential in what I hope will be a stunning conclusion to this admittedly original series. 

Showcase Sunday (#1)

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicki at Books, Biscuits and Tea. Its aim is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week.

For Review: 

White Witch by Trish Milburn

Bought: 

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein 

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers 

Borrowed: 

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielson

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

I don't have too many new books this week since I'm catching up on most of the new releases I haven't already read this year, but I'm excited about my small haul and can't wait to begin these fantastic titles! Plus, this is a nice change from the contemporary binge I've been on lately, so I'm eager to get back into some fantasy, paranormal, and dystopian reads! ;) 

Review: Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

Title: Something Like Normal 

Author: Trish Doller 

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars 

I probably don’t have enough hairs on my head to count the number of times I’ve told myself not to expect too much from a book. You see, I have this terrible habit of building up a book to be something truly amazing in my mind and I usually end up feeling disappointed by the end of it. Needless to say, I didn’t want to be disappointed by Something Like Normal, a novel which has been receiving raving reviews for the past few weeks, yet I think I was. My vision of what Something Like Normal would be was rather different from what it turned out to be, but at the end of the day, I still winded up enjoying this novel immensely. 

When Travis, a U.S. Marine, returns from Afghanistan, all he wants is some form of normalcy. Yet, when he arrives home he finds that his girlfriend and brother have hooked up while he was at war, his father is cheating on his mother, and he is suffering from post-traumatic-stress-disorder due to the death of his best friend, Charlie. Suddenly, Travis’ home feels nothing like what it used to be. Furthermore, he is suddenly confronted by Harper Gray, the beautiful girl whose life he ruined due to a little white lie back in middle school. Something Like Normal is Travis’ story – his journey if you will – to find what it means to be in love, re-discover himself, and find something like normal.

I have always had a soft spot in my heart for novels narrated by a male protagonist, and Something Like Normal is no different. Travis’ voice is realistic, reminding us all that despite being a Marine, Travis is just another nineteen-year-old boy – he drinks, he swears, and he sleeps with girls. I think Doller’s portrayal of him was remarkably powerful simply because it hit so close to home. Travis’ growth was slow, deliberate, and made up primarily of his interactions with others. Although his relationship with both his father, who has always been disappointed by him, and his brother, who has gotten everything that was ever Travis’, was less-than-perfect, his developing relationship with his mother was heartbreaking. Prior to reading this book I don’t think I ever imagined how gut-wrenchingly painful it is for a mother to send her son to war, but this novel made that all very shockingly clear.

Yet, the best aspect of this novel lies in Trish Doller herself. It is evident from reading this story that Doller loves Marines – to her, they are more than fighters, protectors, and saviors – they are real people. Doller captures humanity in this novel with such perfection that it is impossible not to be in awe of her. She never tries to justify Travis’ reasons for joining the Marines to be something noble, instead, she blatantly tells us that Travis joined simply to escape from his father. Furthermore, the amount of research that Doller put into this novel to make it authentic all made this story so much more tangible to the reader. It not only gave a very empathetic portrayal of PTSD, showing how Travis struggled to cope with the effects of war, but it also conveyed the truth of living in Afghanistan. In addition, Travis’ mindset of being in a war, being constantly aware of the enemy, and being constantly on the lookout for danger were all written with a talent that I find to be remarkable for a debut author.

Nevertheless, I did have one major qualm with this novel: its love story. I feel as if I’ve been bashing on romances quite a lot lately, but I simply feel as if this novel would have been infinitely more powerful without Harper’s presence. First and foremost, I found it to be ever-so-slightly odd that Harper forgave Travis for ruining her entire childhood after punching him once. In fact, after that (rather brilliant) punch, there was barely any mention of that event again. Perhaps Harper is simply a much nicer person than I am, but I can’t see myself forgiving someone for inadvertently starting nasty rumors about me that destroy my childhood after one punch in the face. In addition to that, the moment their romance begins to have some tension in it and be threatened by Travis’ ex-girlfriend, Harper forgives Travis after a few hours of frosty silence. In all honesty, Harper simply seemed too good to be true. Furthermore, I never felt as if I was truly connected with Harper. As a reader, I didn’t understand her as much as I would have liked to and could not empathize with her family situation in the least. I think Harper really helped Travis to gain a sense of normalcy in his life and I think their romance was sweet, but I was never wholly invested in it. I really wish that their love story had been better developed since it was such a large aspect of this book.

Either than the romantic angle of this novel, I think I pretty much loved everything else about it. I was surprised by its short length and I definitely was expecting a little more closure on Travis’ PTSD, but I think the ending stayed true to the believability of this novel. All in all, I think Doller accomplished what she set out to do. Something Like Normal is a unique look into the mind of a U.S. Marine whose life changes not only because of war, but because of his family problems as well. If Doller’s debut was this heart-breakingly good, then I cannot wait to see what she has planned in the future! This is one author I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for.  

Review: In Honor by Jessi Kirby

Title: In Honor 

Author: Jessi Kirby 

Rating: 2/5 Stars 

In Honor is one of those confusing books that you’re not sure whether or not to read simply because of all the mixed reviews. You do know for sure though that you’ll either wind up being one of those people who love it or one of those people who hate it. Unfortunately, I find myself in the latter position. For some reason, I expected In Honor to be very similar to Saving June. Both novels were centered around a road trip and at the core of their stories was a girl who had just lost a sibling. Yet, where Saving June was beautiful, moving, and poignant, In Honor was anything but.

For Honor, whose parents were killed when she was young, her older brother Finn is all she is has. When Finn dies in Iraq, leaving Honor two tickets to a Kyra Kelley concert, she feels an indescribable urge to attend this concert and fulfill what seems to have been her brother’s last wish. Yet, what Honor doesn’t expect is for her brother’s ex-best friend Rusty to join her. Together, the two must embark on a journey across the dusty plains of the country and struggle to come to terms not only with Finn’s death, but with their own messed up lives as well.

In all honesty, I don’t think this book can be described as a “road trip” novel at all. When I think of road trips, I think of stopping at random places, visiting unknown places, and getting involved with crazy groups. However, the “road trip” in In Honor revolves around the budding romance between Rusty and Honor. In fact, they simply end up driving around, getting caught in a storm, taking off their clothes in the extreme heat, and then chilling at Rusty’s mother’s home – some road trip. Needless to say, I found myself to be rather disappointed by the plot of this story and could not help making constant comparison to Saving June.

The plot of this novel aside, I found myself unable to truly relate with or empathize with Honor. Although I didn’t have a sister who committed suicide like Harper in Saving June, Hannah Harrington made me feel as if I did. Jessi Kirby however, was unable to make me even sympathize with her protagonist; much less feel connected to her. If anything, I felt more sympathy for Rusty and what he was suffering as a best friend in some scenes (only, of course, to feel irritated at him later on). I really think I might have enjoyed this book if it had chosen to be unique by narrating this story from Rusty’s POV. His pain, torture, and confusion through losing his best friend somehow felt a whole lot more tangible to me than Honor’s grief.

Still, I think the main problem I had with this novel all comes boiling down to its love story. In all honesty, I wish it wasn’t even there. I love romances, but this one felt strange, awkward, and all too forced. Furthermore, I think it would have been able to make a powerful message if Rusty and Honor had worked through their grief together as friends opposed to falling in love and thinking about how hot the other person was. I feel as if this came up so much that I just felt annoyed with the characters and the plot and this book in general.

That being said, I think this story definitely had a lot of potential, but its execution ultimately fell flat. Perhaps I would have enjoyed this book more if it hadn’t reminded me of Saving June as much and inspired so many comparisons with it for me. Nevertheless, the fact remains that In Honor was not a book I could bring myself to fall in love with like many other readers. It was simply too cute, too cheesy, and lacked the type of depth and closure that I was expecting from it. If anyone is looking for a good novel about coping with grief, coming to terms with death, and falling in love, I’d recommend Saving June and simply skip this one – it just doesn’t compare.