Published: April 10, 2018
The latest book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series was not as exciting as I wanted it to be. I waited for a year for this book to come out and then I didn’t get to read it right away so it was a bit sad that it wasn’t everything I was expecting from it. I usually devour these books and in this case I had to remind myself to continue reading. I think it had to to with the fact that the main storyline was focused on Assail and Sola and I have never been a huge fan of theirs. I think they are a cute couple but they were already in love in this book so it was basically just Assail sharing his world with her. But there is an AWESOME scene of Rhage singing “You’re Welcome” from Moana and that just slayed me. Especially since Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is the one who sings it and he is a large guy like Rhage. I thought it was too perfect.
Assail was definitely dying because of the cocaine withdrawals but when his twin cousins went to plead with Sola to return to Caldwell. She did indeed come back only after her grandmother gave her no choice but to return. Upon her return, Assail was able to connect back into himself and regain his regular brain functions. Sola still doesn’t understand what is going on but Assail is preventing her from finding out the truth until it is absolutely necessary for her to know it. Then she must decide if she can live with what he is or walk away forever.
In The Chosen, we saw Vishous move away from his relationship with Jane. And in move away I mean consider cheating on Jane. Honestly, I was flipping the fuck out when I read that last year. I just want all of these characters to stay happy and that seems to not be the case. Either way we do get to see the redevelopment of V’s and Jane’s relationship. They are trying to work through their problems and by doing so they become a better couple. They were also the ones where all my feelings went to. Like all I wanted out of this book is for V and Jane to be good. That’s it. We got a bit more but it succeeded in that endeavor.
This novel explores the new threat that Throe is unleashing upon Caldwell thanks to the trapped Devina. He is trying to do as much damage as possible and create hysteria without being caught. The brothers figure out how to combat these shadows but they need to get the solution in the hands of the civilian population who are the targets. Because of these shadows we finally get a glimpse as Murdher who is the hero in the next book, The Savior. There is definitely going to be a throw down because I don’t think Xhex ever told John Matthew that her ex is Murdher, the estranged brother who is said to be insane. So when he comes back on the scene I foresee a bonded male going crazy. And boy will that be super fun to read.
I like that J.R. Ward is slowly following up with her heroes and heroines but we haven’t had a follow up for JM & Xhex in while. We have references to JM in the Legacy books and even in this one but we haven’t really seen him. And according to Ward’s annual book release event JM is finally going to come full circle and be inducted into the brotherhood! That’s awesome! I wish V and Jane would get their own separate book again and the same with JM and Xhex like Beth & Wrath and Mary & Rhage did. But that might be too much. I personally I have no problems buying all these books but I also ignore my book budget (so that’s a thing). Even though this book was not as phenomenal as I wanted I still thought it was a worth while read and every fan old and new should give it a shot.
—“As her brain tried to assimilate the Deadpool-meets-Disney extremes, it was impossible not to wonder why she kept falling down rabbit holes…” -Sola, pg. 84—
Angie
bookishlyromantic.com 