AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Lover Awakened

TITLE: Lover Awakened
SERIES: Book #3 of the Black Dagger Brotherhood Series
AUTHOR: J.R. Ward

NARRATOR: Jim Frangione
PUBLISHER: Recorded Books
DATE OF PUBLICATION: August 18, 2009 (first published 2006)
FORMAT: Unabridged - 13 CDs - 15 hours, 13 minutes
GENRE: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
ISBN: 978-1436187121

SYNOPSIS FROM GOODREADS:

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Of these, Zsadist is the most terrifying member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion—until he rescues a beautiful aristocrat from the evil Lessening Society.

Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for one another begins to overtake them both, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now, Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past, and find a future with her…

MY REVIEW:

Another steamy one from Ward!

I enjoyed this one ever-so-slightly less than its predecessor, Lover Eternal, although I still enjoyed it immensely.

Zsadist, twin of Phury, is the most feared member of the Brotherhood. He is scarred, angry, and not to be trusted. In the words of Phury: "My twin's not broken. He's ruined."

Even though he is a little too old for the role, I could not help but picture the ultimate movie villain, Danny Trejo, as Zsadist:


He was a little younger here:


Alright, back to the book!

This book is a little darker simply because Zsadist's past is a tortured, painful one. He is a former blood slave who was used and abused in every possible way. Bella, whose bloodlines come from the aristocracy, finds herself inexplicably drawn to Zsadist. Although he, too, feels a connection, his self-loathing causes him to push her away.

The one word that I would use to describe Zsadist is "misunderstood." The years that he spent as a blood slave totally messed him up, and he just can't relate to any one or any thing in a normal fashion. The way that he thought of himself as dirty, unclean, and contaminated just broke my heart! What you see on the surface is so different from what we find beneath.

There is a lot of heartache in this one. Not just with Zsadist and Bella, but something happens which affects the entire Brotherhood. Don't worry, I won't spoil it!

Although at times it made me want to scream, I appreciated Ward's slow transition of Zsadist. With his painful past, it makes sense that his transformation would be the hardest.

Not typically a man of many words, Zsadist's actions spoke volumes about his character: His need to visit Bella's house to feel close to her, how he stood up for John, the way he tenderly and gently took care of Bella after her rescue. He is truly thoughtful and selfless.

I enjoyed the back-story of how Zsadist wound up as a blood slave and what made him the way that he is, and also learning more about Phury. And Phury's sacrifice at the end...what he did for Zsadist...it was gut-wrenching! Have that Kleenex box handy!

Once again, Ward has wooed me with her beautiful prose. Some of the most beautiful things I have ever heard came out of Zsadist's mouth. To Bella, he says: “I was dead until you found me, though I breathed. I was sightless, though I could see. And then you came…and I was awakened.”

I love Ward's strong female leads. Zsadist wanted to shelter and protect Bella because of her bloodline, but she proved in the end that she is as tough as nails -- as much as any of the Brothers. She is very well-matched to Zsadist in spite of their polar upbringings.

Ward develops her characters so beautifully that you cannot help but fall in love with them all by the end of each book!

I am chomping at the bit to see what happens in the next installment of the Black Dagger Brotherhood!

As always, Jim Frangione did a superb job with the narration. I would be disappointed if it was any other narrator at this point. Frangione *is* the BDB!

MY RATING: 4.5 stars!!

This book qualifies as:
#39 for my 2011 100+ Reading Challenge
#25 for my 2011 Audio Book Challenge
#25 for my 2011 "Whisper Stories in My Ear" Challenge
#15 for my What an Animal Reading Challenge IV 
#8 for my Vampire Challenge 2011
#7 for my 101 Fantasy Reading Challenge (Item #60)
#3 for my Black Dagger Brotherhood Reading Challenge
#3 for my Paranormal Romance Challenge 2011