After turning his back on the throne for centuries, Wrath, son of Wrath, finally assumed his father’s mantle--with the help of his beloved mate. But the crown sets heavily on his head. As the war with the Lessening Society rages on, and the threat from the Band of Bastards truly hits home, he is forced to make choices that put everything--and everyone--at risk.
Beth Randall thought she knew what she was getting into when she mated the last pure blooded vampire on the planet: An easy ride was not it. But when she decides she wants a child, she’s unprepared for Wrath’s response--or the distance it creates between them.
The question is, will true love win out... or tortured legacy take over?
Comment: Here it is, the annual release of a Black Dagger Brotherhood story. This year it's back to Beth and Wrath although the plot isn't only about them or things around them. This book keeps up with so many sub plots and possible protagonists that it's very populated for sure.
The main story line focuses on Wrath and his kingdom. Wrath has been feeling powerless and unable to cope with his blindness and most impirtant, his lack of will to carry on as king, as a ruler without much control over what he is doing and he feels often that his efforts aren't leading nowhere.
I think part of the problem was precisely this, the fact his "job" as king isn't instantly synonymous to success and acceptance. There are several scenes from his father and how he acted upon a time concerning some things during his reign and how we can make a parallel comparison to the current Wrath's efforts. I thin these scenes aren't here just to make the reader know Wrath senior but also to show that Wrath isn't dealing with unheard things, a king has responsibilities and issues to work out all the time, since kings exist and the best lesson Wrath can take from what he is ding is what it means to the ones around him that his efforts, his work has a meaning, has value. Wrath says at some point he hates the job. So, I think the author's intention to make Wrath accept this sort of failure was the right step to move forward. Wrath changes things and I have to say I liked him here, I liked his position and his mind when he decided to make choices, when he decided to change things and that it wouldn't mean a disrespect to his own father's reign before. It meant that, as soon as he was truthful to himself and to the ones around him, that was the way to prove how worthy he was as king and as a male. I think this aspect of the story was well explored and interesting.
Then there's also the issue of babies...Wrath and Beth dealt with the problem and I think the way things worked out on that field was cute.
Beth was quite the character here. I thin we can see how her help and strength are things to appreciate and how she can be the best support Wrath could ever get. I didn't feel this was heir story re-written, this was them more mature, more knowledgeable about the problems, the difficulties, but also the good things and the respect. I liked this.
We also see development in several sub plots, which will certainly keep being worked on in the upcoming books.
There's Trez, we learn more about Shadows and their world.
There's still the thing between Xcor and Layla, a relationship that leaves me very curious.
There's Assail and Marisol and what could mean for them to be together.There are more little clues about these sub stories and other things in the working. I think so many things could feel too much but I think the author has a vision and I hope t will turn out alright. Still, a part of me misses a bit the emphasis on the romance, on the relationships...I wish those days could still happen.
There are things that annoyed me a bit. As individuals, as human beings, as readers, there are things that are acceptable and welcome to out tastes and others that not so much. I have to say I wasn't fond at all of the drug references here. Assail does drugs and it annoys me a lot. I really hate it. I can understand how it enhances his persona and his character construction but I hate it and wish it's something to solve soon.
There were some scenes filled with anger that made me depressed...in a perfect world, anger and arguments and fights are solved right away. I hope that, at least, the not so happy scenes can be just the set up to better times.
This book isn't perfect, but like with so many things in out lives, when we care for something and we are used to it, we feel wonderful near that thing or even talking or knowing it's there, so I feel thrilled about a book in this series, the first to hook me up in paranormal and that showed me a world of possibilities in reading I didn't know before BDB. For that, even though I think this could be better or more powerful, I still can't say it's bad. It's as entertaining, as addictive and as special to me as ever. I think that, sometimes, just being in a world you dream about can be enough even if your other side recognizes the room for improvement. Still, I can't wait for more and I keep as eager and as enthusiastic for this as a child for candy. Next year here we will be and I hope I finish it as entertained and with such enjoyment as with this one.
Grade: 8/10
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