Monday, March 12

Lover Revealed by J R Ward **may contain spoiler**

Yesterday was Lover Revealed day at our house. I spent the entire day camped out on the couch reading, even at the expense of my poor child. I knew he wasn't feeling right when he didn't ask to go outside to play, when he kept climbing up on my lap and leaning against me looking for snuggles, when he projectile vomited across the living room. With the help of the hubby we got the child and the living room cleaned up, the poor baby tucked into bed and I went back to reading. I read while I was cooking and finished the book around 9:00 last night.

Can you tell I was totally into the story?

There are synopses all over the place, so I'm not going to rehash the story, the whole damned thing is too complicated, and besides I'm lousy at the rehashing thing anyway.

What didn't bother me:

I'm probably the only reader in romance land that didn't notice the brand dropping. Okay that's not true I noticed, and ignored it. But I thought Ms. Ward did a good job cutting back on the "My Brother" and "shitkicker" references, much less this book. And as to a good deal of the pop culture references--anything rap related went over my head, and nothing else really bothered me with the exception of the expression "Me bad" hate that no matter who uses it.

What I liked:

Marissa--she evolves and grows tremendously throughout the story. Ward does a great job with this.

John--the growing relationship between John and a couple of his classmates and especially Z is being handled very nicely, it's part of the overall Brotherhood story arc. Loved the scene where he's watching Bella and Z playing chase.

Vishous--he's got so much to deal with, jealousy, friendships, loneliness.

The interplay between non Brotherhood characters is interesting. Rhevenge, Havers, Lash and even the Lessers all add different dimensions and layering to the story. I like this, it's not simply a story about Marissa and Butch.

What I didn't like:

Did anyone notice that at times Ward is telling parts of the story without showing them? I hate this, I hate when any author does this.

I didn't like that Marissa backed away from Butch when she realized he would be spending his life in harms way. And that it requires a conversation with the "girls" to straighten her out. It was an added conflict in a story that didn't need anymore.

What I'm vacillating about:

Hmm, I've not really mentioned much about Butch. I can't decided whether or not I love or hate where the story took him. On one hand it makes everything easier and it was fascinating to watch him deal with his fear of becoming evil, that by taking in the Lessers will he lose his humanity more and more, his need for V's help to heal after these encounters. His transformation and change was interesting reading, the ritual bringing him into the Brotherhood was both interesting and bizarre.

But didn't it just seem too pat? Too easy to make him one rather than have him and Marissa and the Brotherhood deal with their differences and work within them.

Ms. Ward certainly can tell a good story. Even when it's not perfect it's still a great ride.

So is the name Jane/Janie a co-incidence or is V's girl going to be Butch's "dead" sister?
Posted by Tara Marie :: 9:34 AM :: 21 comments

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