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Lover Awakened (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #3)

J.R. Ward

Start date: March 1, 2013

Finish date: March 31, 2013

Discussion: Challenges: What's the Rush

Why we're reading this: Part of our group series (re)read: Black Dagger Brotherhood …more
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Challenges: What's the Rush

* 2025 Series Read: K.N. Banet's "Jacky Leon"
By Steph , Serious series addict · 103 posts · 33 views

last updated Sep 26, 2025 08:29PM

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* YEAR-LONG CHALLENGES
By Steph , Serious series addict · 1 post · 389 views

last updated Aug 17, 2010 11:14PM

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What Members Thought

Sep 17, 2010 A book away from an episode of hoarders rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2010, favorites, audiobook, pnr-uf-fantasy, read-in-2011, read-more-than-twice, literary-junk-food, my-permanent-library, read-in-2012, automatic-buy

Zsadist’s story is such a roller coaster. So much love for this brother, even after my 8th reading.

My heart bleeds for John

1 like · Like · see review

May 27, 2009 DarkHeart "Vehngeance" rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009, audiobooks, a-jr_ward

Such an awesome book and another brilliant narration from Jim Frangione!

1 like · Like · see review

Aug 18, 2011 Nairabell rated it it was amazing

Shelves: paranormal-romance, 5-star, read-in-2011, favorites

Among the Brotherhood, Zsadist is easily the most terrifying member. Having survived a horrific past as a blood slave he is now known for his unquenchable rage and sinister appetites and is feared by everyone who has even heard his story. A chance meeting introduced him to Bella but when she is kidnapped by the Lessening Society Zsadist will stop at nothing to get her back. When he does, he is overwhelmed by an emotion he has never experienced before...desire.

This is the third in the awesome Bl Among the Brotherhood, Zsadist is easily the most terrifying member. Having survived a horrific past as a blood slave he is now known for his unquenchable rage and sinister appetites and is feared by everyone who has even heard his story. A chance meeting introduced him to Bella but when she is kidnapped by the Lessening Society Zsadist will stop at nothing to get her back. When he does, he is overwhelmed by an emotion he has never experienced before...desire.

This is the third in the awesome Black Dagger Brotherhood series (after Dark Lover and Lover Eternal) and one I was really looking forward to. Zsadist has been a shadowy figure in the books since the very beginning, scaring even his fellow brothers. Ironically the only person not scared by him is Bella but since she was taken by the Lessers at the end of the last book, Zsadist has become even deadlier.

The pacing is brilliant, first with the struggle to get Bella back and then with her recovery. There is a massive twist part way through that I didn't see coming and found heartbreaking. It will echo through the future novels and I'm interested to see where the author goes with it, as it destroyed something I thought was an untouchable part of the series.

The book is a bit more romance focused than the previous two, with more emphasis put on Zsadist whose past is shown through a series of flashbacks. I really enjoyed watching Bella gradually help Zsadist come to terms with his past and to allow himself to feel again. That said the background storylines continued with Butch still fixated on Marissa (their book is next), the focus on Mr O and the Lessening Society, the development of the pre-turn John and also introducing a new kind of vampire in Bella's brother Rehvenge. The world building deepens with this book as well, giving insight into the vampire aristocracy known as the glymera.

All in all this was a great read and I can't wait for Lover Revealed.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 49/50 ...more

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Dec 23, 2009 Literary Ames rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: hunters-warriors-assassins, read-in-2010, paranormal-romance, dtb, vampires, series-continue

The ending is what earned this book the fourth star. Zsadist straightening his life out and learning to read just for Bella was so sweet, showing her that he hadn't given up on them, just retreating until he was good enough for her. And that dead faint was hilarious!

I'm not as in love with this series as many others are but I am intrigued by John Matthew so I may just continue reading just for him. ...more

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