Helpful Score: 15
I am a huge fan of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and was thrilled to receive an ARC for LOVER ENSHRINED. After shrieking my surprise at receiving an advanced copy, I settled right in to read it (to the neglect of my poor children) and finished it nine hours later. I wanted to know what was going to happen so badly that waiting was just out of the question. Was I in for a treat! I was completely engrossed. The story-telling, the surprises, the tragedy, the camaraderie, the love affair. Although the book is over 500 pages, the ending came much too soon.
...I also love the depth that we get to see inside Phury's head and what he was thinking in this book. The things the wizard (what Phury calls the voice in his head) said to him ring true and I think every reader will be able to relate to them. The reasoning behind Phury's self-loathing, self-destructive nature, hero complex, and drug use is slowly revealed and made my heart weep for him. His insecurity with Cormia, and the way he tries to be gallant with her, but can't, is priceless. They have several tender exchanges and towards the end of the book, the heat between them is explosive.
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...I also love the depth that we get to see inside Phury's head and what he was thinking in this book. The things the wizard (what Phury calls the voice in his head) said to him ring true and I think every reader will be able to relate to them. The reasoning behind Phury's self-loathing, self-destructive nature, hero complex, and drug use is slowly revealed and made my heart weep for him. His insecurity with Cormia, and the way he tries to be gallant with her, but can't, is priceless. They have several tender exchanges and towards the end of the book, the heat between them is explosive.
if you want to see the full review, please head over to www.enchantingreviews.com/reviews.html
Helpful Score: 9
I know these books are a little silly - but they are compelling and that's been enough for the rest of the series. Hot warrior vampires find true everlasting love, what's not to like? These books are like candy and I usually gobble them down in one sitting. This one, though, was the exception. In some ways it was the most complex of the series, but I found it slow, and some of it was unbearably silly. The kind of silly that hot warrior vampires couldn't make up for. If you've read the rest of the series - don't miss this one, but if you're thinking about sticking your toe in the black dagger brotherhood pool, don't start with this one.
Elizabeth R. (reidwifemommy) reviewed Lover Enshrined (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Bk 6) on + 67 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 9
Another page turner by Ward in this remarkable series. Having read all the books of this series, this one while not one of my favorites is a enticing read. I enjoyed learning more about John as well as the concentrated character Phury. I should mention that unlike the other stories this one develops more on the other characters than any book thus far. I do hope she continues with this series. I would definatly read Johns and his friends stories.
Jennifer M. (medinaserpa) reviewed Lover Enshrined (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Bk 6) on + 37 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
This book was not only Phury and Cormia's story but a rap of of all of the questions we the readers have. Well not all the questions. In the past books there have always been mini stories going on at the same but with Lover Enshrined those mini stories were not that mini. Someone else said that there was a lot of sex, and I completly dissagree. There was sex but not all that much. It however was discussed a lot. John, Blay, and Qhuinn are as much of main characters than the brotherhood are. One thing I did not like is that Phury still has a obsession over Bella for a good portion of the book, and it seems that he fell in love with Cormia instead of being in love and wanting her from the first time he saw her. I can not wait until the next book, I have a feeling I know who Revh's female is going to be... but you will have to read the book to figure out who it is.
Helpful Score: 2
This is my least favorite Black Dagger Brotherhood book. It just drags on and on. I had to make myself read it. Normally, I can finish a BDB book in a day if I stay up until midnight. However, this book was a chore to read.
I was annoyed, bored, frustrated, and confused. The only redeeming parts of the book have to do with characters other than Phury and Cormia. Zsadist, John Matthew, Xhex and Rhev are great. I always love learning more about Zsadist. Ward clearly loves the charcter of Zsadist. You see his growth as an individual even more keenly. However, one gets tired of the constant misunderstandings between Phury and Cormia. These two are incapable of having a direct, adult conversation and had they had such a conversation a lot of their issues could have been resolved. Cormia is much like Marissa. She's a pretty weak woman. I don't have much sympathy for simpering, passive females. Actually, I have to take that back. Cormia makes Marissa seem like Xhex! That's how naive and wishy-washy she is.
Phury's character is even more annoying. In the previous books, you saw him as a male of worth - kind, intelligent, noble. Here, he's pretty much a drug addict for most of the book, plus he hears voices and he's basically a pathetic loser. You learn a lot about his childhood which explains why he is the way he is today, but his addiction plays far too big a role in the book. The romance between Phury and Cormia is pretty cold. There's hardly any romance.at.all. This is all the more sad because we BDB fans know Ward is capable of writing passionate scenes, but Phury and Cormia just don't have much chemistry. There's no heat. When Rhage, Wrath, Zsadist, and Vishous said "Mine!" you totally believed it. Here, when Phury says it, you're shocked. Where'd that come from? He has passionate feelings for her?! John Matthew seemed to have a stronger relationship with Cormia than Phury.
You could honestly skim this book and not miss out on anything much. I feel like Ward really missed the mark with this book. There's a sad overtone that hangs over this book. All the joy and light-hearted interactions between the Brothers is missing from this book. I would get it from the library instead of buying it.
I was annoyed, bored, frustrated, and confused. The only redeeming parts of the book have to do with characters other than Phury and Cormia. Zsadist, John Matthew, Xhex and Rhev are great. I always love learning more about Zsadist. Ward clearly loves the charcter of Zsadist. You see his growth as an individual even more keenly. However, one gets tired of the constant misunderstandings between Phury and Cormia. These two are incapable of having a direct, adult conversation and had they had such a conversation a lot of their issues could have been resolved. Cormia is much like Marissa. She's a pretty weak woman. I don't have much sympathy for simpering, passive females. Actually, I have to take that back. Cormia makes Marissa seem like Xhex! That's how naive and wishy-washy she is.
Phury's character is even more annoying. In the previous books, you saw him as a male of worth - kind, intelligent, noble. Here, he's pretty much a drug addict for most of the book, plus he hears voices and he's basically a pathetic loser. You learn a lot about his childhood which explains why he is the way he is today, but his addiction plays far too big a role in the book. The romance between Phury and Cormia is pretty cold. There's hardly any romance.at.all. This is all the more sad because we BDB fans know Ward is capable of writing passionate scenes, but Phury and Cormia just don't have much chemistry. There's no heat. When Rhage, Wrath, Zsadist, and Vishous said "Mine!" you totally believed it. Here, when Phury says it, you're shocked. Where'd that come from? He has passionate feelings for her?! John Matthew seemed to have a stronger relationship with Cormia than Phury.
You could honestly skim this book and not miss out on anything much. I feel like Ward really missed the mark with this book. There's a sad overtone that hangs over this book. All the joy and light-hearted interactions between the Brothers is missing from this book. I would get it from the library instead of buying it.
