Lover Unbound by J.R.Ward

The fifth book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood Series....was totally unlike the previous four. The series so far has followed a particular pattern, all have had a similar feel and plot and up until now it's been relatively good. But this book....was perfect.

OH. MY. GOD.
Over the three days that I read this I couldn't stop thinking about it when I was away from the story. I finished it last night and fell asleep going over the story and this morning I wake up with a good book hangover.

I have been waiting for Vishous's story from day one and I would never have imagined it would be this good. I loved that Ward left out the chapters on the lessers which all I ever did was skim through anyway. They were mentioned in this one because you always have to have a bad guy but they didn't share a large portion of the book as they have in previous books and thank goodness because to tell the truth I don't give a frosty rat's ass about their histories and stories.

Vishous, son of the Bloodletter, is the most cunning and intelligent member of the brotherhood, but like his father before him he is rumored to be twisted and dark, not only in battle, but with his lovers as well. He has been cursed since birth with an unknown power, the glowing hand that he keeps hidden and gloved. With his gift he can heal Butch after he has taken in the essence of a lesser and carrying the taint of the Omega in his body or with it he can burn and destroy anything he touches. Vishous was raised in the camp of the Bloodletter where he was subjected to unspeakable tortures, starvation and violations. Throughout his upbringing he prayed to his unknown mother in an effort to comfort himself and escape the horrors that happened in the camp, to him and around him.

Now as he nears his three hundred and third birthday, his mother returns to claim him. The whole of his life he has been a possession of his father, the Bloodletter, but now, as it was ordained before his birth he is to return to his mother's keeping to fulfill his destiny. He is to become the primale, a warrior of the brotherhood of proper birth who's duty is to father a new line of brothers, to replenish their rapidly diminishing race.

*****SPOILER ALERT*****

I cried and cried and cried. I cried when Vishous was forced to burn the books. I cried for the Scribe Virgin's birds and I cried when V brought her new ones. It was wonderful to have the Scribe Virgin feel something and suffer along with her warriors. The sacrifice of her birds in order to give Jane life while maintaining balance was beautiful and keeping true to the lore and rules of their race.

I LOVED Jane. She was the perfect mate for V. Didn't your heart just break for her when he said goodbye and wasn't fully able to block out her memories of what happened? Oooooh that was so sad.

I'm also glad that we only got to see bits of V's "hobby". She could have really let loose and described all that and the book would have been entirely different and not nearly as special. I was a little confused as to what she had actually become but having her as something otherworldly makes sense as a mate for Vishous since he himself isn't wholly of the world.