Brigid Downey

Trigger and content warning: This book contains graphic depictions of sexual situations and also depictions and discussions of sexual assault and rape.

Synopsis

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other – six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Of these, Zsadist is the most terrifying member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion—until he rescues a beautiful aristocrat from the evil Lessening Society.

Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for one another begins to overtake them both, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now, Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past, and find a future with her…

Goodreads

Reveiw

This. Book! It’s no surprise that I’m completely obsessed with this series and J. R. Ward has not let me down with this book! Zsadist is such a complex character it’s kind of awe-inspiring. The depiction of a sexual assault and rape victim as this strong alpha male is such an inspiring take on the assault recovery storyline that we see so often. Z has to battle his own concept of how a man should be and let Bella help him heal. I think it’s so important to show that men can be victims, too. I think it’s even more important that this strong warrior was a victim of a woman. Ward is really breaking down every single toxic masculinity trope here.

Bella has her own baggage from toxic masculinity. Her brother treats her like she’s an object to be protected and she fights back with everything she has in her. She refuses to accept that she’s nothing more than something to be admired at and in her own right becomes her own person.

I’m constantly in awe at how deep Ward gets into her characters minds and fully fleshes them out. They are flawed, fierce fighters, and they can be positively infuriating because they are so flawed. Sometimes you want to take the characters out of their book and shake some sense into them. I love to hate their decisions and how utterly messy their lives are because at the end of each book nothing is ever tied perfectly in a neat closure bow. That’s what makes these characters so real and relatable because they are messy and flawed and beautiful all at the same time!

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Check out J.R. Ward’s Website here.

Read my other Black Dagger Brotherhood Reviews Here:

• Book 1: Dark Lover
• Book 2: Lover Eternal

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