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 … 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.
Praise for J. R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series
“Utterly absorbing and deliciously erotic.”—Angela Knight
“To die for . . . I love this series!”—Suzanne Brockmann
more
To get ready for The Chosen I did a reread of the whole series to have all the details fresh in my mind. Especially the Xcor and Layla details as their love story’s foundation was laid out in past books. So of course I was still in the middle of my reread when The Chosen came out on the 4th. So the first thing I did was stalk Goodreads and read every detailed review I could find. So I was not going into this read blind. I knew that Qhuinn and Tohr acted like jerks. I just didn’t know how much. So it pains me to give this book anything but a 5 star review, but I have to take a star off for the jerk that is Qhuinn. I will touch more on that later. There was so much going on in this book that I’m gonna break this review up into sections and touch a little on each subject.
*Xcor & Layla*
OMG Xcor and Layla were perfect! Everything I wanted and more. Xcor was sweet, sexy, and brave. His past was so sad. I totally understand why he acted the way he did. I wanted so badly to go through the pages of this book and slap his mom, dad, and nursemaid. The things Xcor would say to Layla would melt my heart. Layla really shined in this book. She kicked major butt. She was standing up for her babies and her man and she wasn’t backing down to no one. She was amazing, strong and so fierce. The way Layla loved Xcor was beautiful. She didn’t care about his past, or his lip. All she seen was the strong, honorable warrior he was. Xcor and Layla together were amazing. There was so much romance, sweet words of love, a deep connection and tons of passion. I loved every single moment I got with these two and wished I had more.
*Qhuinn & Blay*
WTF was going on with Qhuinn. I have always felt Qhuinn was a bit of a drama queen, but he’s done went and lost his mind in this book. I would have completely understood him being mad or upset about Layla being around Xcor when she was pregnant because he didn’t know that Xcor would never hurt her but Qhuinn was out of control. The things he said and did. OMG! I can’t even properly convey how badly he lost it.
Qhuinn should be the one to lose his kids and be kicked out. He was unhinged and abusive to Layla and Blay. He pulled a gun on the mother of his children while she was holding said young and he pulled a gun on his beloved mate Blay. Then he shot the gun in the house filled with not only his twins but other children and the King. He also tried to kill Xcor twice behind the king’s back. He also ignored his daughter because she looked like her mom. Not wanting to touch her or even look at her. I don’t know if I will ever be able to forgive Qhuinn for the way he acted in this book. And his “sorry” at the end pfff he can shove it up his butt for all I care. Blay made him do it. He didn’t really mean it. He just wanted Blay back.
*V & Jane*
I am trying to be open minding with V and Jane. I really am, but V is starting to really tick me off. I mean did we not just play this game in Lover Unleashed when V was feeling like he missed his old Dom life and Jane and Butch thought he might cheat on her. Now here we are again and V is pulling away from Jane and thinking of cheating on his mate. He just seems so unloyal to his shellan at the drop of a hat. Every time things get rough he is ready to cheat. Grow up V. Marriage is hard especially if you are married to someone who works hard hours like say a Doctor. You feel like you don’t spend enough time together then go find Jane and spend some time with her. Not that Jane is off the hook. They both need to make time for their relationship. But I swear if V cheats I don’t think I will be able to get over that. Just sayin’!
* Tohr*
Tohr is also starting to tick me off. I loved Wellsie and I was brokenhearted when She was killed but he is remated and I feel like he is being really unfair to Autumn. She feels like second place and I don’t like it. If he wasn’t ready to move on then he shouldn’t have. Also the way he talked to Layla was bull. WTF is it crap on Layla week. I was glad that he pulled his it together at the end and I thought it was sweet what went down with Tohr and Xcor!
Trez & Therese
It’s too soon. It’s been a few months and Trez already kissed Therese. I don’t know how J.R. Ward is going to play this. Either Therese is a Selena look alike or Selena reincarnated. If she is a look alike then it will be like Trez is using her for her looks and I will hate that. If she is Selena, unless Lassiter tells Trez it will still fill like he is using her because she looks like his dead shellan. IDK but I’m going to try to keep an open mind.
Lassiter, Assail, Throe and everything else
Lassiter was awesome in this book, but really when is he not awesome? I love that he is the new Scribe Virgin. I can’t wait to see how he runs things lol. Assail was making me sad in this book. He wasn’t really in this book just talked about. He went into rehab last book and has lost his mind during detox. Now they don’t know if he will pull out. Obviously Sola needs to come save him! Wtf is going on with Throe????? Did he just get possessed by a demon or something? All I know was he was freaking me out. For real he was creepy as hell and very evil. Watch out Brothers evil is coming. I loved Wrath, and all the Shellans in this book. They stood by Layla and supported her when Qhuinn was losing it. I am also looking forward to more about the Band of Bastards. And can I say that little Rhampage was so cute. The way he kept eyeballing everyone like a little tough man. Overall I really did love this book. I know with my huge rant about Qhuinn it may seem like I didn’t but even though Qhuinn was a jerk face Layla and Xcor were so epic they out shined his jerkerness. Lol is that a word?? Great read and I’m looking forward to the next book. J.R. Ward is amazing more than 15 books into this world(counting BDL series) and it’s still exciting and fresh!
Out of all the JR ward books I have read, this was not my favorite. I didn’t find the characters as interesting.
You know, I don’t care how many books this woman writes in this series. I’m going to read every single one of them. This is like one big gigantic soap opera. But with hot vampires, and a Fritz. I’ve been a huge fan for over 11 years and I’ll still be one 50+ years from now. Sure, there are some things in pretty much every single book that drives me a wee bit batty. Sure, I would love for her to focus more on the main characters the book is based on rather than have eleventy-four other plot lines. Sure, I feel sometimes some parts are waaaayyyyy to descriptive and I just don’t care about certain trivial things. But you know what, G-dang can she write one helluva a story! This whole world just captivates me, I can’t get enough. So at the end of the book, I don’t care about all of those things. I just want the next one to come out!
There were quite a bit of things in this book where I was all “What the french toast is going on?”
One Brother was being a HUGE “c u next Tuesday” like, huge. Totally wanted to junk punk him. Multiple times.
Another Brother is going against the Kings orders. WTF?!
One needs to get his head outta his ass and get his relationship back on track. I’m lookin’ at you V!
Really, I could go on and one. But I won’t! You gotta read it to see all the craziness that is going down. There’s just a lot of things still going on and leave you with a ton of questions. But, I don’t care. This girl is still going to tune in every year.
Very much enjoyed this book but beware, you will cry.
I’m a big JR Ward fan and love the Black Dagger Brotherhood !!!!!
Anything BDB is fantastic!!
Her books never disappoint.
J.R. Ward is my favorirecauthor. Her books are amazing.
believable outcomes to some tricky situations, although there were times you wanted to just slap someone upside the head.
It was great that the author went back to finish the story of the chosen because they started on this path with Layla and Xcor in a previous book and left us hanging! I love a good story with a seemingly unbridgeable chasm between two love-struck characters. Layla faces impossible obstacles and decisions that would rip anyone’s heart out. We also get to see another side to Xcor in this story. Great read…you won’t want to put it down!
I hadn’t read a BDB in a while. I lost interest re: the Shadows book (because I read some of the reviews of others who were disappointed) but I really missed all the characters & I was really interested in Xcor’s story. And now I’m gonna get the other books because well this book sold me that Ward does not disappoint.
I love the BDB books.. Each one is different, not just a repeat of the other books that came before it.
You cannot go wrong with J R Ward and the Black Dagger Brotherhood. I have read the entire series, several times. They just get better and the story line is endless.
absolutely love love love this series and this author!!
It helps to read the earlier books in this series first. This book and all of the Books in this series are excellent.
The series are addictive, the best!!
Super book! But then all of the Black Dagger Brotherhood books are super. This one didn’t let me down.
It had action and romance. Several sto
Out of all of JR Wards books,this one was the saddest. Loved it
Sigh…just too much drama drama drama in this for me. If you don’t want spoilers or if you are a die hard lover of this book, skipity do da past this review…
Ok, here are my thoughts…
I’ve wanted Xcor’s story for a long time, but I wanted the broken hero! The Bastard Warrior! Not this watered down version of him. I kinda felt like just when I was being drawn in to his backstory, The Warden skipped over to everyone acting like douche bags! I mean WTF was up with V? Did I miss something in a book somewhere? Doc Jane was never my fav, but V’s gonna cheat on her? Or did he already? What was w/the phone call he was trying to hide? If he becomes a cheater, I’m DONE! Can’t come back from that! Nope! I don’t forgive and forget a cheat! And Fuck Me I was ready to just stomp a mud hole in Quinn…when he talked shit to Blay I lost it! And that shit being tossed in with Trez and his doppelganger mate. Are we just gonna be like yay! Trez found his new luv but she looks like his old luv! W T F! And then at the end it was like they all took a happy happy joy joy pill. Suuuure…I totally forgive the 300+ pages of everyone being twat waffles!
I don’t know…maybe it’s just me, but I felt like I was reading a soap opera rather than a BDB story…
Will the real Black Dagger Brotherhood please stand up :'(