Lover Reborn [Review]

Stats:
#10 in Series

671 Pages [Kindle]
Published 27 Mar 2012


Synopsis:
In the darkest corners of the night in Caldwell, New York, a conflict like no other rages. The city is home to a band of brothers born to defend their race: the warrior vampires of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.Now back in the Brotherhood – and unrecognisable as the vampire leader he once was – Tohrment is physically emaciated and heartbroken beyond despair. When he begins to see his beloved in his dreams – trapped in a cold, isolating netherworld – Tohr turns to a self-serving fallen angel in hopes of saving the one he has lost.

When he’s told he must learn to love another to free his former mate, Tohr knows they are all doomed…Except then a female with a shadowed history begins to get through to him. Against the backdrop of the raging war with the lessers, and with a new clan of vampires vying for the Blind King’s throne, Tohr struggles between the buried past, and a very hot, passion-filled future… but can his heart let go and set all of them free?

My Thoughts:

It took me a good while to get reacquainted with the terminology and characters, as I haven't read a Black Dagger book since last August.

This book is about Tohrment. Now I heard a lot of fuss was made about this by some BDB fans. I personally don't know why. Even in the beginnings, I was hoping somewhere along the line Tohr and Wellsie would have their own book. I adored them from the start. When he lost Wellsie and their child and went missing, I never thought that he would have his own book. I thought he was gone for good.

Let me just start by saying that this one is a heartbreaker. If you have read the other books and your heart isn't shattered into a million pieces by this one, you probably have no soul. Ward spares no feelings in this one. I was sad, happy, angry, etc. This one also had the most separate storylines/point-of-views going on, but somehow I was able to keep up a lot better than the 9th book.

Let me touch on a few areas in the book (and hopefully not give too much away)...
 (Spoilers Ahead)
New characters:
*No'One (relatively new) - I actually really like her character. I understand her behavior and why she chose her new life. There is a lot of pain and a lot of serving that she does in the book. It was hard at some moments to not have Tohr connect with her fully and give her the support she needed, but wouldn't ask for. I'm glad that she was able to also reconnect with Xhex and have a relationship with her.
*Assail - Oh man...this guy gets under my skin. I'm curious to see where his story will go.
*Throe - there were times I was really rooting for him. I think I may end up liking his character, but for now, I don't trust him.
*Xcor - he really reminds me of the old leader of the Lessers. So I really don't like him.

"Old" characters:
*John - I guess it was kind of hard to see him have his own struggles with Wellsie. It was hard for me to understand his anger at first, but I was glad when he talked to Tohr about it and apologized. It was also really hard to see his relationship with Xhex struggle.
*Xhex - Again with the struggle! ALTHOUGH, I will say that I love that Ward made her stay true to herself. Nothing worse than a strong female becoming a girly girl who is head over heels in love and is awaiting her man's love and attention every second of the day. Xhex stays a bad ass. Love that.
*Quinn - I think I am happy about him and Layla and their friends with child thing. I am very ready for the Quinn/Blay story!
*Tohr - Oh, Tohr. I feel like Ward captured his grief so realistically - and I'm glad he was finally able to grieve properly and that he now has No'One/Autumn.
*Lassiter - Oh Lassie!! He's becoming one of my favorite characters. I'm glad he is still around :)

Major Events:
*Wrath getting shot - Oh my gawsh! That was some intense stuff right there. Just wow!
*Needing Period - Another really intense moment, but this was more emotionally distressing than Wrath getting shot. I just was shocked at Tohr's rampage.
*Wellsie's Fade Ceremony - Ward really nailed this. It was unbelievably sweet, sad, devastating in its own way, etc. I cried.

Ward really packed on the emotion with this book!


Previous Review:
The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa {here}

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