TITLE: Blood Vow
NARRATOR: Jim Frangione
PUBLISHER: Random House Audio
PUBLICATION DATE: December 6, 2016
FORMAT: Unabridged audiobook
LENGTH: 14 hrs and 6 mins
GENRE: Paranormal Romance
New York Times best-selling author J. R. Ward returns with an all-new tale of paranormal passion in the world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.
The Black Dagger Brotherhood continues to train the best of the best to join them in the deadly battle against the Lessening Society. Among the new recruits, Axe proves to be a cunning and vicious fighter - and also a loner isolated because of personal tragedy. When an aristocratic female needs a bodyguard, Axe takes the job, though he's unprepared for the animal attraction that flares between him and the one he is sworn to protect.
For Elise, who lost her first cousin to a grisly murder, Axe's dangerous appeal is enticing - and possibly a distraction from her grief. But as they delve deeper into her cousin's death, and their physical connection grows into so much more, Axe fears that the secrets he keeps and his tortured conscience will tear them apart.
Rhage, the Brother with the biggest heart, knows all about self-punishing, and he wants to help Axe reach his full potential. But when an unexpected arrival threatens Rhage and Mary's new family, he finds himself back in the trenches again, fighting against a destiny that will destroy all he holds most dear.
MY REVIEW:
I’m really enjoying this spin-off of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
I said in my review for the first book in this spin-off series, Blood Kiss, that I felt misled about the author’s comment that the she wanted to feature the original BDB more prominently in the spin-off. With that book, I didn't feel that the primary focus was on the original BDB. With this second installment, the book was just as much about Axe and Elise as it was about Rhage, Mary, and Bitty.
I was very intrigued with Axe’s character from what I read about him in previous books. He’s the brooding male that doesn’t have a lot to say and keeps his emotions well hidden. I wanted to know what makes Axe tick and why he is the way that he is, and Ward delivers all that and more.
Axe has mommy issues. His mother deserted the family because she wanted to be part of the aristocracy. Nothing that Axe’s father did was ever enough for her, and he was a good man and deserved so much better. When she left, it crushed Axe’s father and he pined away for her and was never the same. Axe resented her for that and also thought less of his father for letting her get to him that way, so he grew up to become quite the opposite of his father. He never let a woman get to him, and his relationships with women were strictly about the sex and he favoured getting his rocks off in a local private sex club because he could get what he wanted with no strings.
Elise is Allishon’s cousin, the one who was beaten to death by Anslem in Blood Kiss. She is studying to be a psychologist and wants to specialize in private counselling patients with PTSD. She knows that so many of her race have been affected by the raids, and they do not have anyone they can talk to about what they’ve gone through. She also works as a Teaching Assistant at the university, and her father flips when he finds out that she is sneaking out of the house to go to school. He is worried about her safety, and he decides to hire a bodyguard. Enter Axe. Elise’s cousin, Peyton, warns Axe to stay away from Elise and not to try to bed her. Of course, when you tell someone that they can’t do something, what usually happens? That’s right, it becomes an obsession. Ward never fails to deliver the sexual chemistry, and I really enjoyed watching the relationship between Axe and Elise unfold. Towards the end of the book, I wanted to slap Elise for jumping to conclusions and shake her and make her listen, but Axe did not do any of that. I wanted to shake him and tell him to go after her and straighten things out, but that didn’t happen either! Thankfully, everything worked out in the end.
Aside from the new couple, the book focused on Bitty’s adoption by Rhage and Mary. When Bitty’s uncle, Ruhn, resurfaces and wants to be part of Bitty’s life, their whole world is turned upside down. My heart just broke for Rhage and Mary. They’ve been through so much and opened their hearts up to Bitty, and it was tough so see their pain. I’m very happy with how things were resolved and Ward put a smile on my face. I’m very intrigued with Ruhn and Saxton’s reaction to him, so I’m curious where that is going to go.
I have to mention Lassiter! I love him!! Little Bitty has him wrapped around her finger, and I love how good he is to her. When is that angel going to get his HEA?
There is something brewing between Peyton and Novo, and my guess is that the next book will be about them. Actually, I’m right! According to Goodreads, the third installment called Blood Fury will be about Novo/Peyton and Ruhn/Saxton and is expected to be published in January 2018. Woo hoo!! I can’t wait. In the meantime, as this series is supposed to be read parallel with the original BDB series in order of publication, I need to catch up to the next installment, The Chosen, which is #15 in the BDB series.
What can I say about Jim Frangione that I haven’t already? He’s a fabulous narrator, always spot on. I could listen to him all day long. Here’s a sample:
I said in my review for the first book in this spin-off series, Blood Kiss, that I felt misled about the author’s comment that the she wanted to feature the original BDB more prominently in the spin-off. With that book, I didn't feel that the primary focus was on the original BDB. With this second installment, the book was just as much about Axe and Elise as it was about Rhage, Mary, and Bitty.
I was very intrigued with Axe’s character from what I read about him in previous books. He’s the brooding male that doesn’t have a lot to say and keeps his emotions well hidden. I wanted to know what makes Axe tick and why he is the way that he is, and Ward delivers all that and more.
Axe has mommy issues. His mother deserted the family because she wanted to be part of the aristocracy. Nothing that Axe’s father did was ever enough for her, and he was a good man and deserved so much better. When she left, it crushed Axe’s father and he pined away for her and was never the same. Axe resented her for that and also thought less of his father for letting her get to him that way, so he grew up to become quite the opposite of his father. He never let a woman get to him, and his relationships with women were strictly about the sex and he favoured getting his rocks off in a local private sex club because he could get what he wanted with no strings.
Elise is Allishon’s cousin, the one who was beaten to death by Anslem in Blood Kiss. She is studying to be a psychologist and wants to specialize in private counselling patients with PTSD. She knows that so many of her race have been affected by the raids, and they do not have anyone they can talk to about what they’ve gone through. She also works as a Teaching Assistant at the university, and her father flips when he finds out that she is sneaking out of the house to go to school. He is worried about her safety, and he decides to hire a bodyguard. Enter Axe. Elise’s cousin, Peyton, warns Axe to stay away from Elise and not to try to bed her. Of course, when you tell someone that they can’t do something, what usually happens? That’s right, it becomes an obsession. Ward never fails to deliver the sexual chemistry, and I really enjoyed watching the relationship between Axe and Elise unfold. Towards the end of the book, I wanted to slap Elise for jumping to conclusions and shake her and make her listen, but Axe did not do any of that. I wanted to shake him and tell him to go after her and straighten things out, but that didn’t happen either! Thankfully, everything worked out in the end.
Aside from the new couple, the book focused on Bitty’s adoption by Rhage and Mary. When Bitty’s uncle, Ruhn, resurfaces and wants to be part of Bitty’s life, their whole world is turned upside down. My heart just broke for Rhage and Mary. They’ve been through so much and opened their hearts up to Bitty, and it was tough so see their pain. I’m very happy with how things were resolved and Ward put a smile on my face. I’m very intrigued with Ruhn and Saxton’s reaction to him, so I’m curious where that is going to go.
I have to mention Lassiter! I love him!! Little Bitty has him wrapped around her finger, and I love how good he is to her. When is that angel going to get his HEA?
There is something brewing between Peyton and Novo, and my guess is that the next book will be about them. Actually, I’m right! According to Goodreads, the third installment called Blood Fury will be about Novo/Peyton and Ruhn/Saxton and is expected to be published in January 2018. Woo hoo!! I can’t wait. In the meantime, as this series is supposed to be read parallel with the original BDB series in order of publication, I need to catch up to the next installment, The Chosen, which is #15 in the BDB series.
What can I say about Jim Frangione that I haven’t already? He’s a fabulous narrator, always spot on. I could listen to him all day long. Here’s a sample:
MY RATING:
4 stars!! It was really good, and you should put it on your TBR if you enjoy Paranormal Romances!
This book qualifies as:
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ooo! Yes, this sounds just like what I want to read. I'm currently listening to Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost and that one has vamps in it too. :) Great review. ~Aleen
ReplyDeleteGreat review! This sounds dark & creepy! Congratulations on book #3 for the Big Book Summer Challenge!
ReplyDeleteSue
2017 Big Book Summer Challenge