Turn
Me Gingerly
a book review by GingerSnap
The
Black Dagger Brotherhood Series profile
Book
2: Lover Eternal
Theme
Song: “Turning Page” by Sleeping At Last
Lover Eternal, Rhage's story, is book 2 in the Black
Dagger Brotherhood series and it did not disappoint. I am absolutely
smitten with Rhage. You have read an
excellent book when the characters, the moments, scenes from the pages, are
with you days after you have finished.
During the most intimate parts of this book, I found the song that kept
running through my head, the one that feels like the anthem for this book, was “Turning
Page” by Sleeping At Last. If you have never heard this
song before, please take a moment to listen.
It is has such a beautiful melody and the lyrics brought me to tears the
first time I heard it. I find myself
daydreaming at work, in the car, thinking about Rhage, about Mary, about their
story. And so this tale unfolds...
Considered the most beautiful of all the Brothers, he is known to them as "Hollywood". Glorious in his looks, majestic in his conquests, Rhage’s exploits are legends amongst the vampire world. Not all that glitters is gold, and we soon learn that all that glory, all that lust, is indeed a curse. What happens when you piss off the Scribe Virgin? You get served. Reckless in his youth, taking his glory for granted, Rhage made one mistake that will haunt him for the next 200 years. Seeing that he needed a reminder of what happens when you lose control, the Scribe Virgin gives him "The Beast". Beautiful in a Beauty and the Beast sort of way, Rhage is now marked with a dragon tattoo that covers his entire back. When Rhage loses control, the dragon turns real, and takes form as the Beast. Rhage transforms from a warrior, to the Beast with claws, scales, standing 15 feet tall and bullet proof, the Beast is something even the most ferocious in the Brotherhood fear. The only way Rhage has found to soothe the Beast and keep him at bay is through fighting, in a release of violent energy, or through other energy outlets in the form of sexual conquests. This is Rhage, and this is his story. Until of course….the day he meets Mary. Coming out of a Beast stupor, Rhage bumps into Mary (literally) in a hall at the Brotherhood mansion. Rhage is hypnotized by the beauty in her voice, her smell and is consumed with a desire to be near her. Mary, it turns out, has a curse of her own.
Diagnosed with leukemia several years ago, she has been able to keep the cancer at bay until her most recent checkup. Mary knows her cancer is back, and she is as far from finding love as she is in finding faith. Her job at the law office going now where, her obsessive hours at the Suicide Hotline becoming concerning, all keep Mary from living in the reality of her world. Befriending John Matthew turns out to be first step is what is to become the fate of her existence. After running into Mary at the mansion, Rhage insists on seeing her again. Their first date is not the tale of love stories. So intrigued and caught up in the steal grey eyes of Mary, the eyes of a warrior, someone who has been to battle, the Beast almost emerges. Confused by his reaction and his retreat from her, Mary convinces herself that the likes of such an amazing looking man, could never be interested in the likes of her. Unable to explain his emotions or his feelings or his ability to keep the Beast at bay, Rhage continues to try and prove to Mary her worth. The song and dance and the story that unfolds between Rhage and Mary have you on the edge of your seat and your heart racing. Unable to deny the love, passion and desire for one another, trying to break down walls and barriers they each hold onto so tightly, both trying to find faith amongst the rage, the unknown, the internal Beast they both battle... Rhage is the first to break. Confessing his love for Mary, he realizes after all this time, the reason he can’t control the Beast around Mary is because he is not the only one who wants Mary and wants to be with her. The Beast inside of him, wants her too.
As the war continues to rage between the Brotherhood and the Lessers, the fear of protecting his fragile human has Rhage in a tailspin. In the end the cancer, Mary's own personal Beast, is taking over. Unable to bear the thought of losing her, the thought of losing the one he wants as his shellan, Rhage does the unthinkable. He begs with all his worth to the Scribe Virgin, to take away her illness, for once willing to sacrifice everything he is, everything he knows just to have her, even if that means living with the Beast forever. With the Scribe Virgin, you never mess, and Rhage must agree to the conditions she lays down. The Scribe Virgin allows Mary to choose her own destiny. To live a long and happy life cancer free, with one condition. She has to live it without Rhage, the one she has finally found faith and love in. Or live out her remaining days with Rhage, succumbing to her own beast. Does she live? Does she accept the conditions offered to her? Will Rhage suffer for eternity with the Beast, never having the only love he has ever known? The answer to that my friend is on the last page of Lover Eternal, in which I do highly recommend you read and find out. ;-) Lover Eternal had me on the edge of my seat until the very end and wrenching my heart like no other book has. So far my most favorite of the series, the story of Rhage and Mary continues to pull at me.
Considered the most beautiful of all the Brothers, he is known to them as "Hollywood". Glorious in his looks, majestic in his conquests, Rhage’s exploits are legends amongst the vampire world. Not all that glitters is gold, and we soon learn that all that glory, all that lust, is indeed a curse. What happens when you piss off the Scribe Virgin? You get served. Reckless in his youth, taking his glory for granted, Rhage made one mistake that will haunt him for the next 200 years. Seeing that he needed a reminder of what happens when you lose control, the Scribe Virgin gives him "The Beast". Beautiful in a Beauty and the Beast sort of way, Rhage is now marked with a dragon tattoo that covers his entire back. When Rhage loses control, the dragon turns real, and takes form as the Beast. Rhage transforms from a warrior, to the Beast with claws, scales, standing 15 feet tall and bullet proof, the Beast is something even the most ferocious in the Brotherhood fear. The only way Rhage has found to soothe the Beast and keep him at bay is through fighting, in a release of violent energy, or through other energy outlets in the form of sexual conquests. This is Rhage, and this is his story. Until of course….the day he meets Mary. Coming out of a Beast stupor, Rhage bumps into Mary (literally) in a hall at the Brotherhood mansion. Rhage is hypnotized by the beauty in her voice, her smell and is consumed with a desire to be near her. Mary, it turns out, has a curse of her own.
Diagnosed with leukemia several years ago, she has been able to keep the cancer at bay until her most recent checkup. Mary knows her cancer is back, and she is as far from finding love as she is in finding faith. Her job at the law office going now where, her obsessive hours at the Suicide Hotline becoming concerning, all keep Mary from living in the reality of her world. Befriending John Matthew turns out to be first step is what is to become the fate of her existence. After running into Mary at the mansion, Rhage insists on seeing her again. Their first date is not the tale of love stories. So intrigued and caught up in the steal grey eyes of Mary, the eyes of a warrior, someone who has been to battle, the Beast almost emerges. Confused by his reaction and his retreat from her, Mary convinces herself that the likes of such an amazing looking man, could never be interested in the likes of her. Unable to explain his emotions or his feelings or his ability to keep the Beast at bay, Rhage continues to try and prove to Mary her worth. The song and dance and the story that unfolds between Rhage and Mary have you on the edge of your seat and your heart racing. Unable to deny the love, passion and desire for one another, trying to break down walls and barriers they each hold onto so tightly, both trying to find faith amongst the rage, the unknown, the internal Beast they both battle... Rhage is the first to break. Confessing his love for Mary, he realizes after all this time, the reason he can’t control the Beast around Mary is because he is not the only one who wants Mary and wants to be with her. The Beast inside of him, wants her too.
As the war continues to rage between the Brotherhood and the Lessers, the fear of protecting his fragile human has Rhage in a tailspin. In the end the cancer, Mary's own personal Beast, is taking over. Unable to bear the thought of losing her, the thought of losing the one he wants as his shellan, Rhage does the unthinkable. He begs with all his worth to the Scribe Virgin, to take away her illness, for once willing to sacrifice everything he is, everything he knows just to have her, even if that means living with the Beast forever. With the Scribe Virgin, you never mess, and Rhage must agree to the conditions she lays down. The Scribe Virgin allows Mary to choose her own destiny. To live a long and happy life cancer free, with one condition. She has to live it without Rhage, the one she has finally found faith and love in. Or live out her remaining days with Rhage, succumbing to her own beast. Does she live? Does she accept the conditions offered to her? Will Rhage suffer for eternity with the Beast, never having the only love he has ever known? The answer to that my friend is on the last page of Lover Eternal, in which I do highly recommend you read and find out. ;-) Lover Eternal had me on the edge of my seat until the very end and wrenching my heart like no other book has. So far my most favorite of the series, the story of Rhage and Mary continues to pull at me.
1 comment:
Love it! I forgot this was posting today!!
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