REVIEW- The Chosen by J.R. Ward
Synopsis:
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.
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.
Amy's Review-5*
Did somebody poison the waterhole? Slip a mickey in Vishous' Grey Goose? Or perhaps some Lesser blood has leaked into the water supply in Caldwell? I'm seriously wondering because the Brothers aren't acting like themselves.....they're a bunch of aggressive, emotional jerks in this book (well, several of them, anyway). That being said, this was still a great addition to the series. We saw quite a bit of progress in this book and had some questions answered, while others are burning brighter than ever.
The story is set mainly around the development of The Chosen, Layla, and Xcor's relationship, and the fallout from it. Layla surprised me with how strong she was in this book. She really found her groove outside of being a Chosen. She fought for what she wanted and she wasn't going to apologize to anyone for her feelings or her wants, especially when it came to Xcor. I think we can all say that we knew Qhuinn wouldn't react well when he discovered Layla's secret.....but seriously, the brother went off his rocker. He was irrational, unapologetic, and quite honestly, as ass through most of this book.
The story is set mainly around the development of The Chosen, Layla, and Xcor's relationship, and the fallout from it. Layla surprised me with how strong she was in this book. She really found her groove outside of being a Chosen. She fought for what she wanted and she wasn't going to apologize to anyone for her feelings or her wants, especially when it came to Xcor. I think we can all say that we knew Qhuinn wouldn't react well when he discovered Layla's secret.....but seriously, the brother went off his rocker. He was irrational, unapologetic, and quite honestly, as ass through most of this book.
Xcor....what can I say about this male? Although I've come to like him more over the course of the last couple books, I can say I really like him after this book. He was willing to sacrifice his happiness so Layla could be free. We learn much of his childhood and a bit of his upbringing by the Bloodletter, which explains a lot of how Xcor views himself, which honestly, is quite tragic. I wished we had the opportunity to see the vicious side of him, but alas, that didn't come to be in this book. His devotion to Layla rivals that of the strongest bonds amongst the BDB.
Vishous.....this brother is in serious need of an intervention of some sort. He's not the Vishous I've come to adore, and if he continues down the path I think he is, he's going to have a long, hard road to redemption.
Tohr.....such an emotional man. He's all over the place in this book, and we understand, at least partially, why he's acting the way he is. He overstepped his bounds big time in this book....and he's quite lucky his King is as forgiving as he is.
Trez's story line in this book.....I'm just not sure if I'm buying into this just yet. It's almost too literal for my brain. Maybe I'll like it more as it progresses, and maybe I won't. I guess time will tell.
Lassister.....he's always that bit of comic relief that we need and that didn't change in this book, although there's less of it. If you're of fan of this series and are up to date, you KNOW what he's becoming, and I think he makes some serious missteps with his responsibilities. The balance isn't being maintained and there's something bigger coming that I fear he helped inadvertently trigger.
I enjoyed this book immensely, but it wrapped up rather quickly for my liking. While the big battle helped to solidify some new relationships, it seemed too cut and dried. The turnabout of several of the males' emotions was nothing short of surprising and almost sappy. While new threads were pulled for upcoming story lines, some of the others were left unresolved although that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'm anxiously awaiting news of who will be featured in the next book and of course, I'll continue the series.
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