THE CHOSEN is part of J.R. Ward's Black
Dagger Brotherhood series and this is a series that must be
read in the proper order, otherwise the reader will be
lost. In J.R. Ward's world of vampire-on-vampire love,
Layla has deserved her shot at happiness after being
passed over and repeatedly denied it. In THE CHOSEN,
Layla finally gets her chance and her man, even though in
the world of the Black
Dagger Brotherhood happily-ever-
after is harder to get and more complicated than in most
romance series.
Unlike J.R. Ward's Black
Dagger Legacy series, I tend
to read the Black
Dagger Brotherhood books in sections.
Each chapter focuses on a different couple or storyline,
so I find it easier to keep everything straight by
reading each character's story one at a time and skipping
around, rather than reading all the way through. Without
naming names, while reading THE CHOSEN, I felt as though
a majority of the males in this story could use a
lobotomy, an extended time-out preceded by a few slaps to
the back of the head, or a little of both. A lot of
craziness goes on in THE CHOSEN and I found myself
identifying the most with Wrath. After his wake-up call
in THE KING, Wrath is taking his position as leader
seriously and making the hard calls, while showing mercy
and some empathy when called for. In THE CHOSEN, Wrath
has to ferret out the truth and act as a referee while
trying to minimize the damage done. This book exemplifies
why reading a J.R. Ward book is such a dangerous
proposition -- she's an author who is not afraid to take
chances and push her characters to their limits and let
the chips fall where they may. Quite a few characters in
THE CHOSEN say things or take actions that are hard to
come back from. The characters in J.R. Ward's Black
Dagger Brotherhood are deeply flawed and they make
mistakes on a colossal scale, but that is why readers
find the stories so compelling and are so invested in the
characters.
For me, the highlight of THE CHOSEN is the romance
between Xcor and Layla. I've always hated ROMEO AND
JULIET. Tales of star-crossed lovers have never really
been my thing, but J.R. Ward turns what might otherwise
be depressing and makes it appealing. Layla's love for
Xcor might be incredibly inconvenient, but he is exactly
what she needs. There a few instances in THE CHOSEN when
I would have wanted Layla to have been more aggressive,
but I think the direction J.R. Ward decided to take was
more realistic for the character. I love the gentleness
and affection Xcor shows Layla. With some of Xcor's love
and nurturing, Layla will hopefully get stronger and feel
more secure with who she is. I appreciated getting a
little of Xcor's background information in this book, and
a better understanding of what makes him tick.
THE CHOSEN has a sweet romance between star-crossed
vampire lovers, and plenty of bloodshed. Like other books
by J.R. Ward, THE CHOSEN puts fans through the wringer
emotionally and demands an interactive reading
experience. I hope for a female uprising to clean house,
and knock sense into a few male vampires. I look forward
to the next book in J.R. Ward's Black
Dagger Brotherhood
series.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A scorching forbidden
love threatens to tear a rift through the Black Dagger
Brotherhood in J. R. Ward’s newest novel in the #1 New
York Times bestselling series.
Xcor, leader of the Band of Bastards, convicted of treason
against the Blind King, is facing a brutal interrogation and
torturous death at the hands of the Black Dagger
Brotherhood. Yet after a life marked by cruelty and evil
deeds, he accepts his soldier’s fate, his sole regret the
loss of a sacred female who was never his: the Chosen Layla.
Layla alone knows the truth that will save Xcor’s life. But
revealing his sacrifice and his hidden heritage will expose
them both and destroy everything Layla holds dear—even her
role of mother to her precious young. Torn between love and
loyalty, she must summon the courage to stand up against the
only family she has for the only man she will ever love. Yet
even if Xcor is somehow granted a reprieve, he and Layla
would have to confront a graver challenge: bridging the
chasm that divides their worlds without paving the way for a
future of even greater war, desolation, and death.
As a dangerous old enemy returns to Caldwell, and the
identity of a new deity is revealed, nothing is certain or
safe in the world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, not even
true love . . . or destinies that have long seemed set in stone.
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