Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward

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The third book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
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…

My thoughts 

This is by far my favourite book in the series. I absolutely loved Zsadist's story. When we met him in Dark Lover I was wary about him, and he didn't come off as very appealing. But when I read about him in Lover Eternal I was intrigued, and wondered what story lay behind that attitude. Therefore, I was very excited to read Lover Awakened, and I was not disappointed. Zsadist's story was.. whew, really something. He was truly a tortured soul. Broken. I felt for him (which he probably wouldn't like), both when he was all tough and pushing everybody away, and when he was all open and raw. What he'd been through.. I definitely made me understand him much better, made me understand why he was the way he was now, and that's saying something from how he appeared in Dark Lover. 

There were a few times along the story when I couldn't see how he would possibly get a HEA, how he could ever find himself and see his own worth. He had a long way to go, but Bella was there for him all the time, she helped him through, though it wasn't very easy for her. Bella was a very strong character. She kept pushing when everyone else would have run away screaming. She knew what she wanted, and wasn't afraid to want it, either. I really admired her for it. 

This was a very emotional book, and I went through a lot of emotions during this read. I got teary-eyed, I was shocked, horrified, exicted, laughing and swooning. I hadn't expected that last one, I mean it's Zsadist, not really swooning material. But I'm happy to say that I was so wrong. 

There was, however, one thing about this book that I didn't particularly liked, or rather which I don't like about Ward's writing style, and that is how she focuses a lot on the other characters in the story. I liked to know some of them better, but I just think it was a bit too much, they took too much room from the central story. Especially the parts with the lessers - I have to admit I actually skipped over most of it, except from one part near the end. Anyway, I wish there'd been more focus on Zsadist and Bella's story and that they had had more time together.

Overall, I loved this book. It's definitely a keeper, and it's already got a spot on my favourite shelf. If you've read the first two in the series, I'd certainly recommend you read this. If you haven't read the series, well, then I'd recommend you read it. 

“I was dead until you found me, though I breathed. I was sightless, though I could see. And then you came...and I was awakened.”

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆