Crave
About the series:If you like J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series then I would recommend that you check out her new Fallen Angels series. Although don’t expect BDB, I would give those a 5-star as a series and this one a 4-star so far.
It’s set in the same timeline as BDB and in Caldwell, NY. There are also some cross-over’s from BDB that you will enjoy, I don’t want to spoil it so I won’t mention any that aren’t needed in the review but BDB fans will get a kick out of a few. This is a totally new series though so don’t worry if you haven’t read BDB yet, but I do suggest that you move that up higher on your TBR list. *wink-wink*
The romance is a little different, doesn’t involve the hero and not as intense, but it is still great. So far both books have revolved mainly around Jim Heron and then a couple that have a difficult time hooking up when Heaven and Hell get in the way. Jim doesn’t see much action in the romance department, like I mentioned, but the couples do and they’ll get your blood pumping. *Mmmhmm*
The stories are consistent and the plot flows nicely without an overabundance of world building and focus mainly on the characters which I love in a book. For me, the characters are what I connect with, not the world. A book can have the most spectacular & fantastical world but if I can’t connect with the characters then it’s a no-go for me.
Ward’s distinct writing and story telling style is present in this series with the same language, slang & term use, witty, sarcastic, rough around the edges manly men who like to drop f-bombs like crazy; classic Ward that I personally find hysterical.
No fangs in this one but it’s about the Creator getting sick of the bickering and setting up an end-game, war between Heaven and Hell, Angels, Fallen Angels, Demons and the humans that get caught in between.
My thoughts:
Jim is on to his second soul that needs to be pointed in the right direction. But Hell is up to bat and he is hoping to God that Devina won’t get to him first since he still isn’t getting much help from sidelines. Jim feels he has more invested in this inning though because a lot of the players are from his human past as a XOp’s assassin. BUT he is growing into his powers, finding his wings so to speak, and getting a handle on the whole Angel thing so things should start getting easier right? Right?
Isaac Rothe is on the run from his past life of being a XOp’s assassin. He starts off as being a hard-ass but you come to find out that he is a southern gentleman that couldn’t handle adding anymore to his conscience with the way Matthias had been running things with the XOp’s. He had to get out, even if that meant a short life, because no one get’s out of the business unless it’s in a body bag. Trying to earn some extra cash as an illegal cage fighter (bringing the popular MMA sport into it here) he gets arrested while in the cage. Issac knows that he needs to get the heck out of dodge because being in jail under his real name he is a sitting duck for Matthias and his second in command to find and eliminate.
In walks gorgeous, blonde haired, blue-eyed Attorney Grier Childe as his public defender. Grier goes out on a limb for Isaac and manages to get his bail posted but she can tell that he is going to be a flight risk and she is determined to do everything she can to prevent that so she can help get him on the straight and narrow. Grier has a bright and beautiful soul and is on a mission to save those who are headed down the wrong path in life and the wrong side of the law. This could be because of her inability to save her brother and partly blaming herself for his death. Her brother does show up as a ghost on Crave which really isn’t needed but adds an extra element to the story.
Angels, demons, lost souls and ghosts, oh my! Sorry, couldn’t resist. *grin*
I enjoyed this book more then the first one and would give it 4-stars. I finished it in less then two days because I just couldn’t put it down. Ward def. found her groove in this second book and I am itching for the next installments in the series to see what happens next.
Though I loved Vin’s story I think Ward did a better job in Crave splitting the time between Jim & Isaac and other secondary characters in this book. The plot is intense, action filled and the story flows quickly & smoothly with several more POV’s but nothing that makes it confusing.
Isaac and Grier are stronger characters then Vin and Marie-Terese were as well. Isaac is a sexy & flawed yummy bad boy hero who has the potential to either kill you or throw you up against the wall in the heat of passion. Grier is a rich girl that was brought up with a silver spoon but is strong willed, brave and has a big heart. Isaac wants to pay back his debt to his attorney quickly and cleanly so he can get out of her life before XOp’s finds him, he doesn’t want Grier to get caught up in his world. Their attraction is intense from the get-go and wrought with danger which just adds more sparks and fuels the fire between them. But do two people from totally different worlds have a chance in hell, literally, to make it work? They get off to a quick romantic start at the beginning and have a few hot and fast encounters but then that kind of dwindles down as the storyline becomes more involved. This really isn’t a bad thing because the story line is good and keeps you interested but if you are expecting lots of steamy scenes you might find this disappointing.
Ward delves more into the characters here. ‘The Lads’ had less air time but when they did intercede a bit more needed info was explained in an easy and understandable way, unlike what I found in the first book. Jim get’s tighter with his back-up’s Ad & Eddie which I look forward to seeing more of. The villain’s, demon Devina, character acquires some depth and you actually start getting attached to her emotionally. Who ever thought a demon would have such human issues like OCD. LoL Also, like I said before, Jim grows quiet a bit into his character and as the series Hero and you can tell that it’s only going to get better as the series moves along. I am really falling in love with Jim as the MC, the first book didn’t do him justice imo. Not seeing a HEA in the ending for him yet but I have a feeling about something. Don’t want to give any spoilers though. Crave is a bit darker then what Covet was and there is a very dark scene of physical and emotional torture but it only makes the story and characters better.
The outcome was not predictable and there is a major “oh, shit” twist near the end that made my heart stop along with the characters. And one thing I must mention that I loved from the start was this quote as a metaphor for life, “Nobody got a guided tour to their own theme park. You had to hop on the rides as they presented themselves, never knowing if you would like the one you were in line for…or the bastard was going to make you throw up your corn dog and your cotton candy all over the place.” How true is that? And it’s classic Ward phrasing. A very good read and if you weren’t that into the first book, Covet, you’ll be glad you continued the series when you finish Crave.
