THE THIEF (BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD #16)

New enemies rise from the shadows in the next novel of the New York Times bestselling paranormal romance series the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Having allied themselves with the Band of Bastards, the Brotherhood is committed now more than ever to eradicating the Lessening Society. Recovering from their most recent battle against the last of the lessers, the Brotherhood comes to realize that the fight against their enemies is far from over. 

Throe, Xcor’s former second in command, is using an ancient tome to summon a new army engineered by a force more dangerous and evil than the Omega. 

And now the brothers of the Black Dagger Brotherhood will be tested both at home and on the battlefield.

Release Date: April 10, 2018
Ballantine Books
Black Dagger Brotherhood #16
Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy



Liza's Review:

I was so not excited when Ward announce that The Thief would be about Assail and Sola. I liked Sola, but she was so whiny when she left Assail, and I just didn't love Assail in other books. However, Ward did an amazing job with this story, as I not only liked it, but ended up really loving it. I have to say Sola's grandmother is one of my most favorite characters pretty much ever. She cracked me up so much and I loved how she helped Sola and Assail finally get to see one another again, so they could finally admit their love for one another. 

We also got to spend lots of time with V and Jane in this book. I really haven't felt like they were much of a couple in the last few books, but almost more like roommates. I wanted to kick V's butt as the story started and totally got Jane being so angry with him. Their romance has never been my absolute favorite of the original books, because I've never felt like we got their entire story. I felt like we finally got to see their romance deserve the HEA like the other couples. I want to imagine all the characters never have any issues after they are mated, yet much like any married couple they still have to work to make everything work. I think seeing V and Jane finally work on their relationship made me fall back in love with them as a couple.

Ward had revealed much about the Scribe Virgin at the last Q&A, so I didn't have any surprises there, plus I had suspected the truth for several years and loved seeing the SV in a whole new light. We also finally got time with Murhder and it was well worth the wait!!! I can't wait to see what Ward does with his character in future books!

While I've loved the storyline of the Lessers, I was intrigued by the new "shadows" that were created. I knew Throe was behind everything, and even have a really good idea how he came to have the book that helped him create the "shadows", so it will be interesting to see what happens in future books between the BDB and Throe and his creations. 

I've read every single book in the BDB series and have to say I loved that The Thief had the feel of the early books in the series. There was so much focus on the relationship between the couples that I found myself pulled into the story better than in the later books that have focused more on the battles. I felt like The Thief had the perfect balance between moving forward in the BDB world and keeping the romance as a strong focus in the story. I also loved the amount of time spent between the brothers themselves. That too was limited in some of the books, and I think it is very important for them to have their time together in each book to keep the brotherhood feel to the books. 

Honestly, The Thief has ended up being one of my favorite books in the series, especially of the books released in the last few years. Ward did an amazing job and has me pretty excited about the future of the series. 

Rating: 4.5 Stars (A-)

NEED TO KNOW

In pursuit of a Russian sleeper cell on American soil, a CIA analyst uncovers a dangerous secret that will test her loyalty to the agency—and to her family.

What do you do when everything you trust might be a lie?

Vivian Miller is a dedicated CIA counterintelligence analyst assigned to uncover the leaders of Russian sleeper cells in the United States. On track for a much-needed promotion, she’s developed a system for identifying Russian agents, seemingly normal people living in plain sight.

After accessing the computer of a potential Russian operative, Vivian stumbles on a secret dossier of deep-cover agents within America’s borders. A few clicks later, everything that matters to her—her job, her husband, even her four children—are threatened.‎

Vivian has vowed to defend her country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. But now she’s facing impossible choices. Torn between loyalty and betrayal, allegiance and treason, love and suspicion, who can she trust?

Release Date: January 23, 2018

Ballantine Books

Mystery/Thriller

Review copy provided by publisher

Liza's Review:

I love the mystery/thriller genre and especially when I get pulled in from the very first page. While I was pulled into Need to Know when it started, it quickly felt like it was going all over the place for me.

I really liked the main character Vivian Miller, but absolutely didn't buy into the fact that she would break so many laws and rules. I understood wanting to protect her children and her husband, but I just couldn't see a high level CIA counterintelligence agent not seeing signs along the way. Maybe because she was high level CIA, I expected more of her. I have to say that Matt played her like a fiddle to make it look like he was the wronged individual. I just never bought his innocence at any point in the book. Maybe I'm too jaded when it came to this story. I will say the actual mole within the CIA was a surprise to me, as I had picked a different character as the mole. I really liked that twist to the story.

While Need to Know didn't really end up being the book for me, I did enjoy the author's voice and would give her another try in the future. 

Rating: 3 Stars (C)

ANY DREAM WILL DO

Shay Benson adored her younger brother, Caden, and that got her into trouble. When he owed money, Shay realized she would do anything to help him avoid the men who were threatening him, and she crossed lines she never should have crossed. Now, determined to start fresh, she finds herself in search of a place to stay and wanders into a church to escape from the cold.

Pastor Drew Douglas adored his wife. But when he lost her, it was all he could do to focus on his two beautiful kids, and his flock came in a distant third. Now, as he too is thinking about a fresh start, he walks through his sanctuary and finds Shay sitting in a pew.

The pair strike up a friendship—Drew helps Shay get back on her feet, and she reignites his sense of purpose—that, over time, turns into something deeper, something soulful, spiritual, and possibly romantic. Even Drew’s two children are taken with this woman who has brought light back into their lives. Perhaps most important, Shay learns to trust again as she, in turn, proves herself trustworthy to her adopted community.

But Caden’s return to town and a disastrous secret threaten to undo the life Shay has tried so hard to rebuild. It will take the utmost courage and faith if she and Drew hope to find healing and open their hearts to a brighter future. 

Release Date: August 8, 2017

Ballantine Books

Contemporary Romance

Review copy provided by publisher

Liza's Review:

Debbie Macomber's newest release is a sweet romance filled with second chances. I honestly don't read many sweet romances any longer, as I usually like a bit more heat to my stories. However, I found myself really enjoying Any Dream Will Do as I read Shay's story.

I love watching characters grow over the course of a book, and I'm pretty sure Shay Benson grows and changes more than any other character I've read in some time. Thanks to some bad choices Shay made to protect her brother Caden, Shay ends up serving time in prison and when she gets out the first place she sees is Pastor Drew Douglas's church. I loved that for the first time since his wife's death, Drew saw someone he connected with and wanted to help.

Shay was so bitter and full of attitude as Any Dream Will Do began. I loved seeing her going from a woman with a huge chip on her shoulder to a woman who found her place in the world, both in her career and even with a relationship. The slow growth of the relationship between Drew and Shay made me believe in their relationship lasting. I loved that Drew's kids loved Shay every bit as much as she loved them and she was so very protective of them both.

Shay's brother Caden is still a part of her past that comes back to haunt her and her new life. I loved that Shay made great friends with some of the homeless men in the area, and they wanted to help her find her brother and keep her safe from him at the same time. Shay went from a completely closed off person to someone who became a true friend to people in all walks of life. Shay is one of my favorite characters I've read from Debbie Macomber.

Any Dream Will Do was a very satisfying sweet romance. I loved seeing Shay work so hard to make her second chances count. I loved seeing her find love and family for the first time, and find real friends. Fans of Debbie Macomber will adore Any Dream Will Do, and fans of sweet romance will find a wonderful new story.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (B) 

DEVIL'S CUT (THE BOURBON KINGS #3)

In #1 New York Times bestselling author J. R. Ward’s thrilling finale of the Bourbon Kings series, the Bradford family dynasty teeters on the edge of collapse after the murder of their patriarch—and a shocking arrest.

At first, the death of William Baldwine, the head of the Bradford family, was ruled a suicide. But then his eldest son and sworn enemy, Edward, came forward and confessed to what was, in fact, a murder. Now in police custody, Edward mourns not the disintegration of his family or his loss of freedom . . . but the woman he left behind. His love, Sutton Smythe, is the only person he has ever truly cared about, but as she is the CEO of the Bradford Bourbon Company’s biggest competitor, any relationship between them is impossible. And then there’s the reality of the jail time that Edward is facing.

Lane Baldwine was supposed to remain in his role of playboy, forever in his big brother Edward’s shadow. Instead he has become the new head of the family and the company. Convinced that Edward is covering for someone else, Lane and his true love, Lizzie King, go on the trail of a killer—only to discover a secret that is as devastating as it is game-changing.

As Lane rushes to discover the truth, and Sutton finds herself irresistibly drawn to Edward in spite of his circumstances, the lives of everyone at Easterly will never be the same again. For some, this is good; for others, it could be a tragedy beyond imagining. Only one thing’s for certain: Love survives all things. Even murder. 

Release Date: August 1, 2017

Random House Ballantine Books

The Bourbon Kings #3

Romantic Suspense/Contemporary Romance

Liza's Review:

J.R. Ward has been an auto-buy author for me from the moment I read her very first Black Dagger Brotherhood book years ago. I'll openly admit I didn't love the first book in The Bourbon Kings series, but was pulled back into the series when I read I read The Angels' Share and couldn't wait to read the final book in the trilogy, Devil's Cut. Devil's Cut was absolutely worth the wait to read. 

I'll admit I'm still not a huge fan of Lane Baldwine, but really love his siblings. There is just something about damaged Edward that makes me want to hug him, and Gin is one of my favorite characters in the series. I do wish we had seen more of Max, but what we saw of him, made me want to hug him as well.

Everything that I wanted to be wrapped up in the series was handled in Devil's Cut. I have to say I was glad to see I was correct in my guess as to who killed William Baldwine. He was a total ass and the more I learned about him in Devil's Cut, the more I was glad someone had killed him. I loved that Edward would protect his family by trying to take the blame. I also loved that Sutton Smythe didn't give up on Edward and absolutely loved them as a couple. I also loved we finally saw Gin be the strong woman I knew she could be for both herself and her daughter. I've said before Lane isn't my favorite character, but I absolutely adore Lizzie and have come to love Lizzie and Lane together. I even feel like Lane finally grew up by the end of the book.

Devil's Cut gave me the satisfactory and emotional book I've come to expect from J.R. Ward. It had me both laughing and crying at times and I love a book that pulls multiple emotions from me. I still love her Black Dagger Brotherhood books best, but have thoroughly enjoyed this journey through her adopted state of Kentucky and the bourbon world. 

Rating: 4.5 Stars (B+)

THE CHOSEN (BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD #15)

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 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. 

Release Date: April 4, 2017

Ballantine Books

Black Dagger Brotherhood #15

Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Liza’s Review:

JR Ward books from the Black Dagger Brotherhood have been my crack since I read the very first book years ago. I pre-order each book as soon as it is available and devour it as fast as possible knowing I have a year to wait for my next fix. The Chosen is the latest book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, and while I enjoyed it, I didn't love it. I will warn now, there are spoilers in this review. I usually try not to put spoilers in a review, but there were just a few things that happened that I cannot not mention to get my thoughts across.

I really haven't been the biggest fan of the whole Layla/Xcor pairing in the past. I have to say that even after reading their book, I still am not the biggest fan of the pairing. I honestly didn’t feel like the chemistry between Xcor and Layla was anywhere as hot as I’ve come to expect and love from the BDB series. Yes they had lots of sex, but it just didn’t feel hot to me. I will say I have way more respect for both characters after reading The Chosen. I actually ended up really liking Xcor as a character. He showed over and over again that he was a good man and based upon his past, it had to come from something inside him. Seriously his back-story made me just want to hug him. Again, I've never been a huge fan of Layla as she has always been way to whiny for my taste. I did love how she stood up to Qhuinn to protect her children and her rights to her children. I do think she messed up by seeing Xcor without telling anyone while she was pregnant, even while I understood her justification in her mind. She truly never believed Xcor would do anything to hurt her or her babies as she saw something in him other didn't see.

Let me just go ahead and say both Tohr and Qhuinn both lost their minds for a bit in The Chosen. Qhuinn absolutely made me want to kick him in the junk when he opened fire in the room with Layla and their children. OMG it was like someone had taken over his body and mind because he was completely out of control. He was an ass to both Layla and Blay and really just made me dislike him on a level I've never felt before. I also had major issues with how he wouldn't go near his daughter Lyric because she looked so much like Layla. I've always loved me some Blay, and when he stood up to Qhuinn and sold him off after Qhuinn lost it, I only loved Blay more than ever. Tohr was also not in a good place during The Chosen. So much so that he directly violated orders from Wrath. Honestly Tohr has been off the rails before, so it really didn't surprise me him going against Wrath's orders. I will say he made up for his mistakes by the end of the book.

We had more time than we usually get with Wrath as the King in The Chosen. I've loved Wrath since Dark Lover, and loved getting to see him as King in The Chosen. Seriously, Wrath was large and in charge and he cracked me up so many times. His humor absolutely made this book more enjoyable. 

There was also the start of some issues between V and Jane in The Chosen. They really haven't been all that close over the last couple books, so the distance didn't come as a huge shock. However, the fact that V absolutely at one point said he was considering cheating on Jane really bothered me to no end. While at the Q&A in Cincinnati over the weekend, Ward said that she doesn't really write a true happily ever after but more of a happy for now story. While I'm not a huge fan of that with a committed couple, I will read on to see what she does with their relationship.

So The Chosen absolutely is not my favorite book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, but there were things about it I did like. At the Q&A, Ward announced the next book in the series is The Thief, which will be Sola and Assail's book. I have never been a fan of Assail, and am honestly not looking forward to this story, but will read it as I think we will get the resolution between Jane and V in The Thief. 

Rating: 3.5 Stars (B-)