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.