Dark Lover by J.R. Ward (Book 1 of The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series)

This book is considered Fantasy, Vampires, Romance, Paranormal, Supernatural, Slightly Erotic, Adult

Trigger Warning: 

This book deals with death, war, explosions, vampires, and sexual assault. 

"You've won the evolutionary lotter: You're a vampire."

Wrath, the last purebred vampire on the planet, the would-be king of the race if only he would embrace his heritage. But Wrath has a different title that he prefers: leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Fueled by his hatred for humans and a growing society of "Lessers", sworn enemies to the vampire world, Wrath's main focus is to avenge his parents. 

Darius, son of Marklon, is a warrior in the Brotherhood. Darius is a three-hundred-year-old-plus ladies' man and has many sons whom he has lost in battle. One of his only remaining children is Beth Randal. Beth's mother was special to Darius, even though she was human. From afar, he has kept track of Beth and her life. He had hoped that she would live a normal, happy, human life. But Darius is growing concerned as she ages closer to her transition. 

Darius knows that if his daughter goes into her transition, her human blood may cause complications. Some full-blood vampires don't survive the transition. So he goes to Wrath, the purest blood of the race and begs him to watch over his daughter and help her through her transition if needed. At first, Wrath refuses; he hates humans, and he has better things to do than babysit one. But after a car bomb, placed by a member of the Lessening Society, kills Darius, Wrath feels obligated to honour his last request. 

The Review

This book was recommended to me years ago. And at the time, I was skeptacle. I wasn't really a fantasy girl. I wasn't into vampires. The closest I had ever gotten to fantasy was Harry Potter, and the closest I had gotten to vampires was Twilight. But I was into romance, and so I gave it a try. 

I fell in love with these vampires. Wrath is just a tall drink of water, bad boy, the typical kind of "I can change him" main character. And Beth is a spitfire! You think a woman who was approached by this huge man and told all this stuff would crumble to pieces, but she is so strong and handles everything her way. 

I also love meeting the other vampires. Vishous is my favourite by far. But I think they all are so lovable. They all bring something new to the table and their stories are interesting if not heartbreaking. When I originally read Dark Lover I could not wait to get my hands on the next one. 

SPOILER ALERT

I think the relationship between Wrath and Beth is beautiful. It starts with him hating humans, and the thought of him being with a half-human is absurd. In fact, if Darius hadn't begged him to take care of her. . . Wrath probably wouldn't have given Beth the time of day. But something changes as he watches her and gets closer to her. And I think that's a beautiful sort of enemy to lovers thing before that was even a "thing". 

By the end, to see the way not only Wrath accepts her, but the whole brotherhood accepts her as their Queen, it is really something. I loved it! And when they decide to all live together and unite together, that just seems to be the cherry on top. 

I borrowed this book from a friend originally. 

 

Rating and Recommendation

I originally gave this book five stars; looking back, I still feel that way. I still love Wrath and Beth and all the other brothers. I think that it's a great twist on vampires, and each has their own unique personality, which makes the entire world fun. The addition of Butch is also a wonderful little treat. I think getting a glimpse at these rough and tough warriors is a nice twist on traditional vampire stories, also. We don't really get to see them putting their abilities (be it mental or physical) to use. 

I ran out and bought this book after reading it. I also bought every other book that was out at the time, and I continued to buy each book as they came out, until the series got away from the original brothers. 

Conclusion

These books are a bit dated now, but I think anyone who enjoys a good romance story and is open-minded to the vampire stuff will love this book. It hits a lot of different elements, so I think a wide range of people can find something they like in it. Along with the love story, we also have vampires (enough said), and the war with the Lessening Society in the background. And of course, all kinds of fun drama here and there. 

You can find Dark Lover in its respective mediums below: 

The Black Dagger Brotherhood has been adapted into a television series by PassionFlix. Dark Lover was represented in the first season, out now. Season two will be released later this year. 

* Book cover image retrieved from GoodReads. All rights belong to the author and/or publisher. 
* All the "stickers" in this blog were provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley).
* Links in this blog may be generated through the Amazon Associates Program. By using this link, I may make a small profit (at no cost to you) from your purchase.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1 of the Harry Potter Series) by J.K. Rowling - Book Review

This book is obviously Fantasy. I would consider it young adult, but also MAGICAL! And an amazing adventure.

Trigger Warning: 

This book deals with death. Nothing graphic, but the main character is orphaned. Also, child neglect (minimal). 

I also understand that the author of this book may be a trigger, too. I will not be addressing the controversy surrounding her. 

"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."

In case you have been living under a rock, let me tell you a bit about Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. It follows a young orphaned boy named Harry. He has grown up in a little English town with his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon Dursley. He has always been a nuisance to them, it seems. And they have always treated him that way, making him live in a cupboard under the stairs with the spiders and dust. 

Harry is living a pretty mundane life when, suddenly, around his eleventh birthday, strange things begin to happen. Soon letters start to appear, addressed to him, specifically to the boy under the stairs. These letters alarm the Dursleys. They knew this day would come, and they taught that they could fight it. 

But they were wrong. 

Little does Harry know that not only is he a wizard, he is a celebrity in the wizarding world, a saviour. He is "the boy who lived". The baby that defeated, You-Know-Who, and has returned the wizarding world to normalcy. And yet, he has no idea what any of that means. He's just Harry. Until Rubeus Hagrid returns him to the Wizarding World. 

The Review

I am biased, I am not ashamed to say that. Harry Potter was a HUGE part of my childhood. I think any child with an imagination has fantasised about being a witch or a wizard, and when I was young, there really wasn't anything like that dedicated to kids. Now, fantasy is everywhere, magic is everywhere. But this was different, new and exciting. Twenty-five years later, I think it is a timeless classic. And I think no matter what age you are when you read this, Harry Potter is an escape. It's like the plain girl realising she's a princess, a family down on their luck, inheriting a multi-million-dollar fortune. It's an escape from reality, and it's an adventure. 

SPOILER ALERT

Before the second Wizarding War, before all our favourite characters died horrible deaths, here was the beginning. And I think that is something that the Harry Potter series does well. Even if you have read all the books, watched all the movies, and know everything there is to know about Harry Potter. When you start the series over again, it is like coming home. Meeting Dumbledore for the first time, seeing the Weasley Twins get into all kinds of mischief, and Sirius Black (enough said). Meeting all those who don't make it to the end, really, is like taking a trip back in time. Like visiting old friends. 

My mom read me the Scholastic's paperback edition to me when I was a kid. Since then, I have listened to Stephen Fry read the book, twice. And I am about to start listening to the Full-Cast read through (Audible). 

Rating and Recommendation

Can you imagine anyone giving Harry Potter anything but five stars? I can't. I read some reviews on GoodReads just to see, and it was absolutely mindboggling to see people so pretentious that they could give the book that changed it all three or fewer stars. Now, usually I don't judge people based on their star ratings; we all have different tastes. But when a book hits multi-million dollar fame, it has literally changed the lives of so many people. I think your three stars may be wrong. 

That being said, I can understand that Harry Potter hit different for my generation. We grew up with The Boy Who Lived. I remember hating the hype. I didn't understand it at first, magic and wizards, pff. But it was huge! And by the time I was in the fourth grade, Harry Potter mania was everywhere. And for good reason. Once I got bit by the Harry Potter bug, there was no going back. 

I went from not caring to standing in line for book releases and reading the new book in two days. By the time the last book of the series came out, I was reading for hours on end just because I couldn't stand to wait a moment longer, not knowing what happened. It was a far cry from the kid who hated reading.

I bought this book from a Scholastic's Book Fair flyer when I was in the fourth grade. I bought the next three books the same way. And then I started getting them right from the bookstore. I couldn't wait for Scholastics anymore; I had to have my hands on the books the minute they came out. Now, at 34 years old, I am starting to collect both illustrated versions of the series. 

Conclusion

I am 100% bias. As I said, Harry Potter changed my life. But I highly recommend this series to everyone. If you grew up with Harry Potter, share it with your children. I recommend grade 3 to 4 for this one - it is not too dark and unless you find your child a little on the sensitive side, they should love it. If you are an adult and missed out, now is your chance, a whole new fandom is coming together with the new HBO series coming this year. 

You can find Harry Potter and the Philosopher's / Sorcerer's Stone in its respective mediums below: 

The E-book of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is available for free to Amazon Prime users. 

The Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 25th Anniversary Edition is available here. 

The Illustrated Editions: 

Jim Kay version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: Illustrated Edition

MinaLima version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: Illustrated Edition

Stencilled Edges: 
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Stencilled Edges by Mary Grandpre)

The Hogwarts House Editions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone are available below: 

(The best house) Hufflepuff - Black and Yellow: Hardcover and Paperback

Audible has recently released a new "Full-Cast Audio Edition" of all seven books. You can find this edition of the audiobook here. 


HBO is recreating Harry Potter as a TV series. You can see the trailer below. The Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone TV Series will be released on December 25th, 2026.

* Book cover image retrieved from GoodReads. All rights belong to the author and/or publisher. 
* All the "stickers" in this blog were provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley).
* Links in this blog may be generated through the Amazon Associates Program. By using this link, I may make a small profit (at no cost to you) from your purchase.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Book 1 of The Lunar Chronicles) Book Review

This book is considered Fantasy, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Romance, Dystopia, and Fairy Tales.

Trigger Warning: 

This book deals with mature medical issues, including pandemics, deadly illnesses, medical abuse, death, grief, emotional and verbal abuse, and discrimination.  

"Even in the future, the story begins with Once Upon a Time."

Cinder is a story about Linh Cinder, a sixteen-year-old girl living in New Beijing. She is known as a gifted mechanic, but she has a secret. She is a cyborg! What does that mean? It means that Cinder is thought of as a second-class citizen, much like the inspiration for the novel, Cinderella. 

Like Cinderella, Cinder has an evil stepmother, Adri, who resents that she has to raise this cyborg and never misses a chance to remind Cinder of it. She and her two daughters, Peony and Pearl, mirror those of Cinderella's story. However, there is a twist. 

A deadly plague is ravaging the population of New Beijing. And the fate of Earth rests on Cinder. As a cyborg, she is property of her stepmother, and when the opportunity arises, Adri volunteers Cinder for the experiments being performed on cyborgs to try and find a cure.  

But there are some things even Cinder doesn't know. Secrets from her past are about to come to the surface, all while Prince Kai tries to navigate life as the heir to the throne, a deadly plague in his city. Both Cinder and Kai will be torn between duty and freedom as they try to find a cure before it's too late. 

The Review

I am not really sure how to give Cinder a review without giving too much away, but I will try. The story of Cinderella is often told for children; this feels like a more mature, almost PG-13 version. And I loved that. It has a creative twist on the traditional fairy tale, layered with darker elements that echo the original story. 

In many ways, I think this could be considered a "coming of age" story for Cinder. Throughout the novel and her journey, she grows significantly and begins to understand who she really is. She is a badass, resourceful, stubborn, and far from the typical princess. Honestly, she made my former tomboy heart very happy. 

SPOILER ALERT

After Peony catches letumosis (the plague), Cinder feels drawn to helping her. When she discovers that she is immune to the disease because of her cyborg parts, she feels like she can help save Peony, the stepsister who's always been kind to her. Unfortunately, Peony dies before anything can be done, which becomes a major turning point. 

Cinder is taken for testing and learns of her immunity. She also learns there are secrets from her past that even she didn't know. Dr. Erland reveals that she is a Lunar (from the planet Luna).  Naturally, they assume she is a fugitive of some sort. Dr Erland believes Cinder is a "shell", though she isn't, and soon her powers start to come back to her. 

Meanwhile, the evil Queen Levana arrives in the city, She is the ruler of the Lunars and has come to New Beijin to convince Prince Kai to marry her. Once he does, she will give him the antidote for letumosis, so the city's scientists can replicate it. But she has a deeper agenda: to kill Kai and control the Earth. 

As the story unfolds, Cinder's identity begins to surface, and she realises she is not just any Lunar, she is the lost Princess Selene, the rightful heir to the Lunar Throne. Queen Levana (her aunt), had tried to kill her, and for her safety, she was taken to Earth to hide. 

This book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. While Cinder doesn't save the world just yet, she does find her strength, her identity, and her purpose. After escaping custody, she sets her sights on Luna and her rightful place on the throne.

I bought this book from Chapters / Indigo. And I read it for a Book Club, I put on. It took about 38 weeks, reading a chapter a week. 

Rating and Recommendation

I originally gave this book five stars; looking back, I downgraded that to four. I think I would probably go down to three and a half, but I am giving the book the benefit of the doubt and say a part of the problem is that I don't typically read fantasy. 

It was a good book. I enjoyed it, even though it's not typically my thing. I still recommend this novel to friends who like fantasy and twists on fairy tales. Or young adults just getting into reading. I think the theme of a Cinderella parallel is interesting and could really capture a young adult's attention. That being said, I do not think I would read this book again. There are other books in The Lunar Chronicles series, and I haven't looked into them yet. So the series didn't pull me in as much as I had hoped it would. 

I bought this book so I could read it. I don't regret buying it by any means, but I didn't have the urge to go out and buy the next books. If I do read the next books in the series, I will probably see if the library has them before making a decision on purchasing them for myself. (I must admit, though, seeing the box set does make me want to go out and buy it!)

Conclusion

I did a LONG book club for this novel on Creative Arts' website a few years back. I read one chapter a week and did a bit of a review per chapter. I think looking back now, that may have affected my review of the book. I gave it five stars at the time, though now I wonder if it was just a little bit of salesmanship, also. (No one wants to join a book club that's reading just an average book.) With that being said, years later, I still think about Cinder and Kai. It is a book that stuck with me. 

I don't tend to gravitate towards fantasy books (minus the extremely popular ones). But the concept of this one really pulled me in. So anyone who likes fantasy or twists on classics should definitely give this one a try. 

You can find Cinder in its respective mediums below: 

Cinder and The Lunar Chronicles are being adapted into an animated film by Locksmith Animation, along with Warner Bros. Pictures Animation. The movie is slated to release in November of 2028

* Book cover image retrieved from the author's website. All rights belong to the author and/or publisher. 
* All the "stickers" in this blog were provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley).
* Links in this blog may be generated through the Amazon Associates Program. By using this link, I may make a small profit (at no cost to you) from your purchase.

* Dragon and books provided by moimesfolies via Pixabay, and used under the Pixabay Content License