Sandy M’s review of Lover Enshrined (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 6) by J.R. Ward
Contemporary Paranormal Romance released by Signet 3 Jun 08
Yeah, I’m so behind in reading all the blockbusters of this past summer. But you know what? I kinda like that I am behind because I got to hear all the hullabaloo about what everyone thought about this book, especially the whiners out there, before I finally jumped into it. I can tell you right now, all those whiners are so off base about this one, it’s not even funny.
I don’t know how many posts I saw all over the net that said “I’ll never read another book in this series again” after they’d finished Lover Enshrined. Please. If you’re a serious reader, if you’re a true fan of this series, this book is a damn good book and it stays right on course with what we’ve come to expect from J.R. Ward. You don’t want to read another book in this series, you go right ahead, whiner. It’s your loss.
Even the parts I thought I might not like after reading those net posts I loved. Back then I thought I’d be disappointed that the storyline follows the three young males, John, Qhuinn, and Blaylock, more than ever before — only because I love those Brothers so. I wanted more about them and only them, but I really enjoyed every bit in this book about those three young friends. What’s between those three is what friendship is about. I should never have doubted Ward for one iota of a second. That won’t happen again, I can tell you that.
Now the lack of romance allegations. I’ll agree with those up to a point. The fact is Phury could not have sustained any type of love at this point in his life. He had to straighten himself out first. He had to do it. Both Z and Wrath tried their way to get him back on the straight and narrow, but nothing worked; hence Wrath’s drastic measures. And Cormia needed time on this side of her sanctuary to realize her feelings for Phury. If they’d done anything before either of these circumstances came to pass, it just wouldn’t have worked.
I confess, I was a little upset at Wrath’s solution to his Phury problem, but Ward pulled it all together for me at the end so that my ire was calmed a tad. I’m still not 100% that I like the new situation, but I think the next book will help me out on that better. But it all worked because Phury did things his way and he did them the best he could considering all he’d been through over his lifetime. In a way he’s nearly as innocent (in more ways than one!) as Cormia when it comes to life, despite all he’s lived while with the Brotherhood. They both had a specific journey to follow and they both had to come out on the other side on their own terms to get them where they needed to be in the end — together. Worked for me just fine. Feel me?
I’m sure I’m part of the majority when I say I don’t care for the Lessers. They’re just plain evil and slimy. But I have to say that the new twist we’re given with the Omega was interesting and it gives a whole new light on upcoming books with a new and different enemy in town. They did cause a lot more destruction in this book, but it was fascinating to watch it all unfold.
All in all, there’s not much wrong with this book. We all have our own pet peeves about certain aspects of it, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s in keeping with the spirit of the series and the characters. It’s pure escapism and that’s why I read. So who gives a rat’s ass if something isn’t done in a particular “true” or “real” way as we know it in life? Hell, it’s not real life, people! Lighten up, sit back, and enjoy it for what it is and let go of all those hangups on what you think should be happening in the series. Ward gives us 150% every time, and I know each one of those Brothers would agree with that.
Grade: A+
Read LauraD’s, Gwen’s, and Limecello’s reviews. Read all sorts of news, reviews, and information by following the Black Dagger Brotherhood series tag or the Lover Enshrined tag.
Summary:
Fiercely loyal to the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Phury has sacrificed himself for the good of the race, becoming the male responsible for keeping the Brotherhood’s bloodlines alive. As Primale of the Chosen, he is to father the sons and daughters who will ensure that the traditions of the race survive and that there are warriors to fight those who want all vampires extinguished.
As his first mate, the Chosen Cormia wants to win not only his body but his heart for herself- she sees the emotionally scarred male behind all his noble responsibility. But while the war with the Lessening Society grows more grim, and tragedy looms over the Brotherhood’s mansion, Phury must decide between duty and love.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
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Wow – harsh. 😛 I don’t think I read the same reviews as you did. I also think I graded “harder” at the time I wrote the review than I do now :X.
Also – the issue with the romance/not romance – I agree Phury had a lot to work out. (And wish I could change one minor thing about what I wrote) – but I think readers would have liked to see Phury deal with those issues as a secondary plot line in another character’s book, rather than in his own. Phury is/was one of my favorite Brothers.
And I think I was at the peak of my hatorade on unending series [across the board]. But that’s a different story.
I’m one of the “whiners”, and just flat out did not think this book measured up to the others. It was flat, disjointed, and not as well-written. I wanted to read about Phury, not the little boys. I wanted a romance, which is what it says it is on the spine. I will not be giving any more of my money to J.R. Ward, who is waaaaay into her own hype. Thankfully, there are a TON of good series out there.
MANY agree with you lightyfell
I am not sure where this is going and I think it largely has to do with the next book. I am very interested, I admit it. There are so many questions for me…
Can she carry it to Hardcover? Is she totally going over to a Urban Fantasy subgenre or was LE because the series needed the plot set up to move forward.
A big reason I am not on board with Brotherhood 90210 is because they are taking up time from the core stories and couldn’t some of that be moved to the next book did it HAVE to happen here? It really robbed Phury from having a true romance. And took too much screen time in the book so it makes me seriously dislike them.
There is a great potential here but it is a matter of balance and remembering the reader doesn’t see the movie unless the author is conveying it in words. There just seemed to be too much missing and by the end it had a shit need to wrap this up feel to it.
I don’t want to read Urban Fantasy and I SERIOUSLY do not want the paranormal never ending Cynster series. JR Ward is talented and has created a world and characters I enjoy. I think she will find the balance in there. Because she is getting better as a writer.
My question is will she take the brotherhood in a direction I can follow. I didn’t think she could after V’s book… and Phury’s gave me hope. This still wasn’t there but was so much better in my mind than V’s in the way of storytelling, character and craft I have hope.
And I REALLY want the pimptastic book. Color me odd… 🙂
Have you replaced the crack with a new habit? What books are you reading now 😉
I was a big Phury fan. I know by the time his book arrived, a lot of people were sick of his whining, but I thought he could be an interesting and unusual hero. Of course, in my head I would’ve paired him with someone completely different…still…Cormia was alright, and they were seriously gypped. They needed more time together for the relationship to seem solid.
I was seriously resentful of the New Class taking up so much time in LU, but they made this book. Love. I even like Xhex now. It’s very clear where JRW’s interest is writing wise, and she definitely seems to be more into exploring ‘her’ world as a whole these days.
I’ll still be reading, I’ve been looking forward to Rehv’s book for awhile, but the thrill is gone. I used to be so excited over a new book. Now I’m expecting mediocre romance and a bland heroine. The balance needs to be found btw romance and action, and the world needs to stay consistent and detailed. That’s what made us all go gaga.
I am a “whiner”. I had waited for Phury’s book since reading DL. Come on, a virgin vampire, bring it on! Then dumbass Phury had sex with a prostitude in LU but according to the author, it doesn’t really count because he didn’t orgasm. WTF?! Are you kidding me?! He’s still a virgin after having sex? How the hell does that work???? So according to JR Ward if your first time is a disaster, don’t worry because you’ re still a virgin!!! You can try again! This is just one of the things that irritate me about the series. And how about inconsistancies in her world-building? I don’t think I’m just a “whiner” if I point out something in the world she has created that just doesn’t make sense.
The sad thing is that LEn wasn’t about Phury or his journey to a HEA. It was a book designed to expand her series and there is no doubt that the romance between Phury and Cormia suffered as a result of that. Especially Cormia. She was just another Marissa – but blander and had even less personality, if thats possible.
Ugh, I thought this was one of the worst in series.
I thought the storyline following the boys were
the best bit!
::dies::
I totally agree with most of what you say Maered. HATED that bathroom scene.
but… but… I adore Marissa
LOLOLOL I think it might just be me *g*
I never minded Marissa all that much. She was the only BDB heroine whose life expanded to include the BDB and helping the vampire culture, rather than her life shrinking to down to the compound.
I can’t be the only one that imagines that those women never ever go outside. Well, maybe Casper can.
I read a fair mix of reviews of Lover Enshrined, some of which heaped praise, and others which did not. Personally, I was not impressed with the book for a variety of reasons: too much head hopping, lack of focus on the “main characters”, the ongoing destruction of the original world building in order to faciliate the expansion of the series, etc. I’m still intrigued by her world, particularly Tohrment, John Matthew and Xhex, but my dissatisfaction with LEn makes me unwilling to pay hardcover price for the next book of the series. My book budget is limited — why pay $20 for a single book in an iffy series when I could buy three paperbacks for the same price? It’s nothing personal — Ward is entitled to take her characters wherever she wants to go, as a reader I’m choosing not to follow.
Why/how is it “whining” to say that?
I can’t answer for Sandy so she can later *g*
I would ‘guess’ jmc that isn’t what she meant by ‘whining’ but more of the fangrrl, ::hair toss:: how can you do this to meeeeeeeeeee I never reading you again type thang.
You are making too much sense (well you always do) to ever be a fangrrl. I admit, the review amuses the hell out of me because it is Sandy. Sandy is mikey and so nice I don’t think butter would melt in her mouth. So the ‘whiner’ comments was funnah.
but I have an odd sense of humor
Yes but what about the fangirls on the other end? The ones who stomp off in a snit or turn really bitchy if you dare criticise the series or, Heaven forbid, the beloved Warden. JRW message board actually scares me with the devoted “cellies”. I actually think some of them would give up their first born if JR Ward asked them to. *shakes head* And have you seen/read the way they talk on that board?! I cringe reading some of the threads on that board. Some people take their fantasy a little too seriously, imo.
The Ward board is over-run with dingbats and nut jobs.
If i had any energy, I would probably take exception to this:
As it is, though… nah!
Yes but what about the fangirls on the other end?
What do you mean? like Fangrrl vs RABID fangrrl?
LOL azteclady! Honestly if it had been anyone other than Mikey I prolly would have. It is a broad statement and personally I don’t believe in the concept of ‘serious reader’ anymore than I do ‘TEW FAN’.
People like what they like and hate what they hate… but uh you know me 😉
At the same time, each reviewer is free to say pretty much whatever. ::shrug:: And I am sure I don’t have to say this but you are welcome to take exception. LOL but I am thinking you knew that.
😀
Yeah, I know, and it’s good to have all sorts of different points of views on the same book, no? So different readers find the reviewer they identify most with.
That’s part of it, Sybil, the “whiner” part of it anyway. But another part is how can you say from one book you don’t think is going in the right direction that you won’t read anymore to come along, especially when the previous four or five before it you loved or liked or whatever you want to call it? Ward had to change direction eventually in this series. She’s running out of brothers to write about. Thus, we have the upcoming young males to keep the series going. Okay, she did it at the expense of Phury’s and Cormia’s romance, which I already conceded to. Phury was my favorite brother too and while I would have liked to have had more of a romance for him, that doesn’t negate the fact this is still a very good book. And I can’t see throwing away an entire series away over something so minimal. How can you do that when you have no idea what Ward is going to do in the next book? How do you know she won’t get back to her word building or whatever it is you missed from previous books? To just flat-out say you wont ready any more of her books doesn’t make any sense whatsoever to me.
And with all the opinions out there about not just this book and how readers get worked up over things such as what we’re talking about, and just the comments left here, and while it may have been a broad statement, you can’t tell me there aren’t “serious readers” out there! Sheesh, just these few folks who have shared their opinions here today would be considered serious because they have fierce and definite opinions about books. My point being a good book is a good book. You may have issues with it on certain aspects, but that doesn’t negate the fact it’s a good book. There are a couple of things I didn’t like about the book, which I didn’t put in my review so it wouldn’t spoil things for those who haven’t read it, but that didn’t turn me off the entire book or make me turn my back on the series altogether.
I realize that I don’t look at reading the way a lot of you do. Yes, I’m more easily pleased when I read. I like the majority of what I do read. But with all the dang reactions that happened with this book, it just seems, now that I’ve read it, a lot of it was overreaction. Guess that’s just me taking exception with all those opinions like ya’ll are taking exception with my review! Which you’re more than welcome to do. And you’ll probably take exception with some of what I said here too, but it keeps us talking!
LOL, and I’m not always nice. I did just give a book a D+!
ooooooooohhhhhhh I have nifty things to say! but first nap… come back soon
Well, Sandy, it’s all a matter of perspective, no?
What is minimal to you may be the one thing that I enjoyed–or the most important of the things I enjoyed. Or the one thing that broke the camel’s back.
It really is all relative. I can love love love the first few books in a series and flat out hate the many after (Christine Feehan, Stephanie Laurens, etc.).
Does it make me any less of a serious reader? Apparently, in your eyes, it does.
In my eyes? It makes me discriminating. 😉
Sandy – 😛 running out of brothers= STOP! Just stop. See, for me, stopping is ok. Stopping is more than that. stopping is good. If Ward wants to write about the kiddies… >.< I guess. Maybe. But... make it different. Do it later. The last two books are ... drifting. Like soaps. I agree with you, azteclady on liking some not all. I think what would be better than the never ending series, would be starting a *completely new* just as fabulous series! And the fan base would be there, and it would be something as amazing as those first few books! [And this is how I feel about all discursive series]
No, can’t agree with you there, lime. The “kids” have been part of the story for a while now, being trained by the brothers. Why would you suddenly take them out of the story and throw them into something unrelated and unfamiliar to readers who have enjoyed them so far? And they’re too close in nature to break them apart and start on something new. It’s not really “new.” And I love a series that goes on and on and on and on – just like that damned rabbit!
And it’s fine not to like a book or three or whatever in a series that you’re reading – that happens to all of us – I’m more focused on those who want to walk away totally because of one book. That’s what’s happened so far in this series. The people I’ve been referring to have said they won’t go back to this because of how they felt about LEn. I still submit that’s a huge overreaction, especially when you have no idea what’s coming up.
And, no, azteclady, I believe I did refer to you as a serious reader in my last comment! And everything to do with reading is definitely relative, as we all find out every day when we write and read reviews! It’s just the overreactions, as I’ve said, that bother me.
I guess what I felt when I read LeN was BORED. It just was so flat and depressing and I had to force myself to continue. To me, that’s not a good book.
I’ve walked away from the series because, to me, the last two books were like that. Her current direction isn’t one I want to read about. And I really hate how she pumps everyone up on her board “It’s the hottest book EVER!” and when you read the book it’s the same flat heroine, same type of love scene. Watch – she says Rehv is going to be so hot, so masculine, so this, so that. He’ll be the same whiny (there’s that word again!) angst-ridden hero that she turned the others into. What she did to V, she might as well have taken his other ball too.
In answer to the “what do I read now” question a ways up; Kresley Cole, Sydney Croft, Laurissa Ione is one to watch, and Lara Adrian.
“The “kids” have been part of the story for a while now, being trained by the brothers. Why would you suddenly take them out of the story and throw them into something unrelated and unfamiliar to readers who have enjoyed them so far?”
Phury was a part of the series long before any of “the kids” (not to mention the other brothers and mates who must be in the witness protection program) and she left 90% of Phury’s story out of Lover Enshrined. The back of the book said it was about Phury & Cormia. It wasn’t. There’s no reason why JR Ward couldn’t have made this book about its supposed hero and had “the kids” as a subplot, rather than the other way around. Or if this is the way she wanted to go, the blurb on the back should be changed. It does not describe the content of this book.
This book was written solely to set up future books, not to stand on its own IMO. The romance between the supposed protagonists was nonexistent, and the main characters themselves throwaways. The series is called “Black Dagger Brotherhood,” not “Vamps Who Know the Black Dagger Brotherhood.”
This book was written solely to set up future books, not to stand on its own IMO.
You are correct. Ward even admitted that months ago.
I felt ripped off at the end of this book. It was my own fault, though. I knew not to read it, but I did it anyway.
I totally agree with lime. Just as some authors miss ‘the end’ of a book and drag it out, some authors miss the point where a series should end.
Now I am not saying that is what Ward did here but I admit from the first time I hear ‘ten book’ series I saw red flags. I think the series derailed with LU and LE was ward doing her best to get back on track.
For me if I hadn’t seen improvement in Lover Enshrined I would be calling it quits too. As is I soooo found… hope the series might go back to the first four which I lurved.
If Rehv’s book is more of a move into urban fantasy (which I saw many signs of in Enshrined) without a return to a stronger romance that will be my last novel in this series. And I will prolly whine about it a hella lot.
I look at in a lot of different ways but it mostly comes down to Urban Fantasy can be a good book but there are too many Romance novels I want to read to waste the time on a genre I am luke warm about.
Of course thinking about it… I end up abandoning most series because the author can’t make it work or me, keels characters (STILL bitter about Sookie series), ends up writing about the sister of the first hero’s cousin twice removed or whatever…
And it does annoy that Brotherhood 90210 took up so much of this book. YES the plot needs to move forward but not at the expense of the core story. And this book, IIRC, wasn’t labeled romance at all. If that is to try and broaden the readership – whatev I can roll with that.
BUT if that is because the series is moving into too many threads to allow JR Ward to tell a complete romance in one book under 500 pages and is moving into Urban Fantasy… well color me out.
And I am sure she will be fine without me as a reader of this series. I admire the hell out of JR Ward and think she is very talented. But your enjoyment of crap doesn’t negate my view of it anymore than me thinking it is crap takes away from your lurve. (and I mean that in the general sense I liked Lover Enshrined for the most part 🙂 )
A large part of what I think you see as ‘whiners’ are the Rabid Fangrrls and I would argue Ward’s boards, yahoo group and the brothers ‘interacting’ with the readers is a large part of why there are so many rabid of this series and such a sense of entitlement.
Of course it is also why Ward has the contact and success she has so far. Tough spot for an author to be in…
But for anyone who took the review in the since of any opinion is ‘wrong’ that isn’t true. Sandy M’s review is spot on – for Sandy M. As any review would be for any reader.
I have to agree with Joanne. The secondary storyline completely eclipsed the primary storyline, and it didn’t have to be that way. Ward has a direction in mind, and she made the conscious choice to take the book where she did. That is her perogative–she is the author–but readers hoping to read a love story about a character they’ve followed for five books are entitled to be disappointed.
All the love in the world for the New Kidz won’t change that. V got screwed, and Phury got screwed. And I liked the books!
I love UF, so that direction doesn’t bother me, but I’ll be adjusting my expectations for Rehv’s book. And checking it out of the library.
and I will pout
::pout::
I don’t wannnnnnnnnnnntttttttttt urban fantasy
::crosses fingers::
Another problem I had was Ward promising everyone a really hot “romance”. And claiming the love story between Phury and Cormia would be beautiful. She didn’t deliver. I could count on one hand the number of scenes Phury and Cormia actually talked together. That in a 560 page book is plain pitiful.
Sometimes I think Ward spends too much time on the boards – revealing tidbits and spoilers. (I said this on the boards once and you can imagine the reaction. ROFL. It was classic) She builds up the books to an unrealistic level. She should have told her fans that she was changing genre from romance to UF. I don’t think the “whining” would have been as bad if she had been upfront about it.
I think you hit the nail squarely in the head there, Maered–all that time spent answering questions on the boards (many of which are then contradicted by the actual books) means that a) the expectations of the cellies are build up to the sky (i.e., they are convinced the books are written for *them*–each of them, never mind the impossibility of pleasing that many people at once), and b) not enough time goes into checking for plot and world building consistency.
As I said in my non-review, I will likely read Rehvenge’s book, I just won’t pay hardback price for it.
And depending on where she goes with it, I may drop the series altogether *shrug* After V’s book I’ve felt more and more let down (underwhelmed is the word), so I don’t view it as a huge loss.