As a huge fan of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, there was no way I was missing the spinoff. I was thrilled to finally be able to dive into Blood Kiss, the first book in the Black Dagger Legacy series. It did not disappoint!
Blood Kiss (Black Dagger Legacy #1) by J. R. Ward
The legacy of the Black Dagger Brotherhood continues in a spin-off series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author…
Paradise, blooded daughter of the king’s First Advisor, is ready to break free from the restrictive life of an aristocratic female. Her strategy? Join the Black Dagger Brotherhood’s training center program and learn to fight for herself, think for herself…be herself. It’s a good plan, until everything goes wrong. The schooling is unfathomably difficult, the other recruits feel more like enemies than allies, and it’s very clear that the Brother in charge, Butch O’Neal, a.k.a. the Dhestroyer, is having serious problems in his own life.
And that’s before she falls in love with a fellow classmate. Craeg, a common civilian, is nothing her father would ever want for her, but everything she could ask for in a male. As an act of violence threatens to tear apart the entire program, and the erotic pull between them grows irresistible, Paradise is tested in ways she never anticipated—and left wondering whether she’s strong enough to claim her own power…on the field, and off.
Paradise, blooded daughter of the king’s First Advisor, is ready to break free from the restrictive life of an aristocratic female. Her strategy? Join the Black Dagger Brotherhood’s training center program and learn to fight for herself, think for herself…be herself. It’s a good plan, until everything goes wrong. The schooling is unfathomably difficult, the other recruits feel more like enemies than allies, and it’s very clear that the Brother in charge, Butch O’Neal, a.k.a. the Dhestroyer, is having serious problems in his own life.
And that’s before she falls in love with a fellow classmate. Craeg, a common civilian, is nothing her father would ever want for her, but everything she could ask for in a male. As an act of violence threatens to tear apart the entire program, and the erotic pull between them grows irresistible, Paradise is tested in ways she never anticipated—and left wondering whether she’s strong enough to claim her own power…on the field, and off.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Blood Kiss was a seriously awesome way to kick off
a new series in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world. The first book in the
Black Dagger Legacy series was an exciting read with new, fantastic characters
and I absolutely loved it!
Paradise and Craeg were wonderful. She was so sweet and
naive in the beginning but I loved seeing her grow and really fight for what
she wanted and become this force to be reckoned with. Craeg was fantastic, so strong
and determined, I really liked his character development, understanding his
drive and where he came from. I loved Craeg and Paradise’s attraction as they
go through their training and how it built. It was sweet and stressful,
tense and emotional, and super sexy!
I really liked this new group of characters that have been
introduced. I love seeing these new, younger vampires and learning what they’re
fighting for. I like the pairings that were hinted at and I'm excited for
what's to come. I loved seeing old favorites as well from the original series
and I really liked the secondary story about Butch and Marissa and where they
were at in life. I loved them since they got together in Lover Revealed.
There was also a small but exciting who-done-it element mixed in that I really
enjoyed.
This was such a great introduction to the new series, it parallels well with the overall world. It’s
the same great world but it's a somewhat different perspective so it all seems
fresh and inviting. It has a slightly different feel, a little bit lighter, but I was just as pulled
in and invested. There is a great build to everything, a lot of drama,
emotion, and heat. If you haven't read any Black Dagger Brotherhood books,
no worries. J. R. Ward does a great job explaining everything so you won’t feel
lost. That being said, I would highly recommend reading the BDB books because
there is so much history, it just made this intro to the new series that much
better for me.
Connect with J. R. Ward
The Black Dagger Legacy series is a spinoff of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and is set in the same world with interconnecting characters. While each book is a standalone in both series, if you're interested in reading in order along with the timeline everything takes place, please follow the following order as suggested on J. R. Ward's website. It mixes the Legacy series in with the Brotherhood series.
I love paranormal romance that features vampires but I'd be down to read something with shifters. If you have some suggestions, please let me know!
