Sammy’s review of The Thief (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 16) by J.R. Ward
Paranormal Romance published by Ballantine Books 10 APR 18
I am going to tell all you duckies over here at The Pond that there will be spoilers. I mean, I can’t discuss this book without going to the beginning of this series. If you haven’t read these books yet and you hate being spoiled, now’s a good time to back away slowly. If you’ve been a reader of this series and you don’t mind spoilers? Grab a cup/glass of whatever makes you happy and get comfortable. I think on every review I do of this series I put up my love/hate disclaimer. Some books work for me and some don’t. Isn’t that the way with long series? But The Shadows really broke me, and I don’t mean in a happy, tingly end-of-book way. Now I read each release with my eyes wide open. Meaning, who is going to die next? Which for me is weird considering this is a romance series. I have been hanging with the BDB so long I just can’t quit. I guess, I’m the hopeless romantic waiting for those once fuzzy feelings from the earlier books (I am totally delusional). See, I know the fans of this series are hardcore. I know, so am I. I have my favorites. I am also one of the readers who was shipping Vishous and Butch. The reason I bring up the V/Butch thing is because, Vishous and Jane (The Ghost) take up a large part of this book. I am not going to lie to you when I say I was not one of those happy readers of Butch/Marissa and Vishous/Jane. Up until this book, I still felt that strong connection – V and B have some serious chemistry. That scene in Lover Awakened when he drinks V’s blood was probably the most erotic scene ever written (And there was NO sex). After reading The Thief, I have made peace with the pairings. For the people who know me and my rants about the series, please pick your jaws up from the floor. Yes, I have accepted Vishous and Jane. I now feel free. That doesn’t mean I’m not completely annoyed about other things going on in this vast world.
For me, one of my biggest gripes lately is all about who is dying, stroking out, overdosing, vampire lupus. It’s just give me a break from all this sickness and death. I don’t know about you, but I read to escape from the harsh realities of my life. I spend my days and nights taking care of a sick parent, so for me it gets depressing and my eyes roll into my head and I need to grab the vodka to make it through the book. I get that real life and fiction intertwine, that’s okay. BUT EVERY SINGLE BOOK? Come on, give a reader a break. Yes, I am going to complain about Muhrder. All we know about him is that he was with Xhex and went nuts, raped a reporter, and he just inherited some money (Hero material?). Yet his book is next? So, we don’t know who he is or his heroine. I have no idea who the Band of Bastards are because they have disappeared since The Chosen. This book had the opportunity to give us some insight into Assail’s background and his cousins. But no. We get pages and pages about a chick who’s a throw-away character. And I guess that’s my problem with the later books. In the early books we got to know the Brotherhood so we were invested in their story lines. I feel like anyone coming up for a book is a complete mystery and why should I care? I have no stake in whatever happens. Now that I got that off my chest, I’ll get to the review, and if you stayed for my little rant, I thank you. I told you I have a complicated relationship with the series. 🙂
P.S. I am still pissed off at Qhuinn and I don’t think I will forgive him EVER.
P.S.S. I hope we can put to bed Rhage, V, Butch, and Wrath for a little while. I would, however, like to hang with Ehlena and Rehvenge and get down and dirty with the Sympaths. I guess maybe we will get some John and Xhex in this next book, which, of course, will be full of angst.
Vishous and Jane
I have to start with their part of the story because I was more invested in them. I feel like they stole this show from Assail and Sola. Vishous is about to cheat on Jane when she catches him. Jane has been working non-stop and V was feeling neglected. So instead of sitting his Shellan down and having a grown-up conversation about how he was feeling, he decides cheating is his best option. Now, I know these characters are hot vampires, but that doesn’t mean they don’t suffer from stupidity. Lucky for Vishous he doesn’t go through with the cheating. Jane is pissed off, like big time. Not only is Jane getting shit from Vishous, but she’s also getting crap from Manny for burning the candle at both ends. I mean, she’s a ghost. Do ghosts get tired? I’m so confused. Anywho, V’s on the shit list. He is feeling remorseful, and they are not speaking. The Brotherhood is fighting a new villain and he’s a doozy. What they’re fighting is harder to kill than the Lessers. While they were out trying to figure out what the hell is going on, V is hurt bad along with several other brothers, andn Jane is called to the scene. Vishous makes Jane go to Phury, who is hurt worse. While Jane attempts to triage, one of those crazy shadow creepers is aiming for Phury’s head. Jane becomes corporeal and takes the bullet to save Phury. I have to be honest – I was like HOLY SHIT! Vishous watches this happen and I don’t need to tell you his reaction. Let’s just say everything in his world becomes clearer at that moment. I think for me too as a reader. Jane finds herself up in Sanctuary, walking the fields, and comes across a beautiful room filled with relics and jewels. Meanwhile, Vishous does not know what happened to Jane, considering that she’s a ghost and his mother, the Scribe Virgin, quit her job and, of course, he doesn’t know that Lassiter is now the HBIC or HAIC. Lassiter grabs V off his couch and launches him into Sanctuary where he finds Jane. He is so relieved to see her, and I will honestly say this was very emotional. Deeply emotional. They both realize their parts in the breakdown of their relationship and there is a lot of making up to do. This part of the book is truly very beautiful. After reading their part in the story, I made my peace.
Assail and Sola
Sola is hiding out in Florida with her Grandmother. After Assail killed Benloise and Eduardo, two drug lords, she has no choice but to hide out. She’s still thinking about Assail, but she throws her cell phone into the ocean, breaking all ties with her past. Assail, meanwhile, is dying from using too much cocaine. Manny and Jane don’t think he’s going to make it and tell his cousins. The cousins try to make one last ditch effort to help save him. They go to Marisol in Miami and tell her that Assail is dying from cancer. She packs up her grandmother and heads back to Caldwell and the Mansion to see him. As soon as she starts to talk to him and hold his hand, Assail’s brain waves come back online and he makes a slow recovery. The time he spends with Sola and her Grandmother are some of the sweetest scenes. But he’s keeping a lot of secrets from Marisol, the first being he’s a Vampire and he was not dying of cancer, he’s an addict. They also have a little problem with Benloise and Eduardo’s sister Vitoria, who comes into town to find out what happened to her brothers. If you think the two drug lords were bad motherfuckers, wait until you meet her! She’s a cold-blooded killer in designer heels. Assail is recovering, Sola’s Grandmother is playing matchmaker, and Vitoria is slowly piecing together who killed her brothers. Everything is coming to a head. When Sola finally finds out the truth about who and what he is, she does not take things very well. Of course, she finds out about the truth through Jane who assumed she knew the who and the whys. She can’t get away fast enough. After Jane talks her off the ledge and she has time to absorb the truth of things, she comes around. Meanwhile, the Brotherhood is dealing with Assail for weapons. As Vishous and Assail go to pick up the weapons through Vitoria, Assail is once again injured badly and he’s back at The Mansions General Hospital. This is when Sola gets badass. I mean, oh yes bad, bad, bad. Don’t screw with Assail. Not even Vishous could get in her way. Fantastic ending to the very boring Vitoria. Sola’s grandmother gets sick and manipulates Sola and Assail into marrying. What I love about these two is their awakening. What I don’t love about their story is the rushed feeling with no answers about her being a mortal and he a Vampire. That really bothers me. It is a cop out.
Throe is very bad. He’s doing very bad things. I have no idea where the Omega is in all this, but I have a feeling Devina from the Fallen Angels series is playing a part with Throe. These new baddies are seriously creepy. We get a paragraph with Saxton making an appearance at Muhrder’s house about an inheritance and Muhrder telling Saxton it’s time for him to meet with the King. I guess we will find out in his book, which is next.
So there you have it, readers of The Pond. Some things left me elated and some things left me cold. If you read the book, what are your thoughts about where the series is headed? Who are your favorite Vampires? Favorite book?
Thanks for reading.
Grade:B
Summary:
Sola Morte, former cat burglar and safecracker, has given up her old life on the wrong side of the law. On the run from a drug lord’s family, she is lying low far from Caldwell, keeping her nose clean and her beloved grandmother safe. Her heart, though, is back up north, with the only man who has ever gotten through her defenses: Assail, son of Assail, who never meant to fall in love—and certainly not with a human woman. But they have no future, and not just because she doesn’t know he is a vampire, but because he is not about to stop dealing arms to the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Fate, however, has other plans for them. When Assail falls into a coma and lingers on the verge of death, his cousins seek out Sola and beg her to give him a reason to live. The last thing she wants is a return to her past, but how can she leave him to die?
As a lethal new enemy of the vampires shows its face, and the Brotherhood needs Assail back on his feet, Sola finds herself not only a target, but a mission-critical force in a war she doesn’t understand. And when Assail’s truth comes out, will she run from the horror . . . or follow her heart into the arms of the male who loves her more than life itself?
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
