(the.darkandmoody.reader)'s Reviews > The Savior

2/5- I feel like I just broke up with a long time boyfriend.

⚡️ I FIGURED OUT WHY THIS BOOK BOTHERS ME!

⚠️ THIS IS IT... this book it bugs me because it’s not really necessary for anything BDB. You could skip it as a reader and not miss anything about the war. That’s the problem. It’s like a BDL book, centered on 2 ships and nothing else. All you would miss is Murhder’s boring HEA and JM being angsty AF, JM. Neither of those things change the course of the war with the Omega.

🔑 This book has been branded the book to either make or break the series. For probably 99% of the fandom it made the series. For me... I never had a “problem” I questioned ships and decisions but never thought “this series is dying.” Well, the old BDB is dead baby — welcome to the new and highly problematic BDB 2.0

💯 Up to about 75% in I was at the crossroads of angst-ville and boring-town-USA. Meet cute wasn’t until 35% in, too long. But we had to goto med school as readers, first, and learn medical terms that were reminiscent of watching the 1994 OJ Simpson murder trial during the forensic and DNA testimony. But ya know it was all very important — no it wasn’t.

I can’t even review this book properly but I have a rant no one wants to hear. Well more, I warmed up above.

💔 I’m not one of those BDB fans that *FIVE STARS* a book just because it’s BDB. You also have to know that my heart is breaking for how this book turned out. BDB is my favorite series for very personal reasons and I am so sad to have a book I can’t even rate properly. Ward is my ultimate writer and the move to Gallery hasn’t worked for me. Consumed, Prisoner of Night, and now, The Savior - have not been the same caliber as past Ward novels.

I didn’t cry at all. The emotion everyone brags about was absent for me... Besides anger. I waited a very long year for this book. I got, I don’t know what I got.

🌀some observations:

I love Ward’s writing although she seemed to need extra words here and there, do I need to know that Sarah puts her right shoe on then left? That’s editing 101. And it doesn’t drive the plot anywhere but to boredom-ville.

⚠️ The timeline is fucked to hell. The raids have always been 75 years ago but now they are 25 years ago? Murhder and Xhex were together for 20 years but met in the 1990’s? According to a scene in the book it’s only been 3 years from Dark Lover to The Savior??? Yet Sarah knows about Orange is the New Black TV show?

⬇️ Ward wrote this book to audience. Moreover, to appease all the bloggers and reviewers that have one major bitch: Vishous having too much page time. They got their wish he has about four scenes. Jane is in the book more than V. And Vishous is painted as a major asshole. That’s good, add more fuel to the Vishous public execution. And he lost his “true?” again. *snapshot of V in this book: pissed off, mean and smoking*

Tohr is back in the game again, why, because Vishous was side-lined and left to get his freeze out on with Butch and all the OG Brothers. Anyone ever pick up on why V was around a lot?? BECAUSE Tohr was gone. V had to become second-in-command! Tohr went from maniac in the Chosen to solid in the Savior, which is about a couple weeks?

Phury makes a guest appearance for a whole 4 pages. Butch has ZERO lines and is referred to as the stocky one next to V and that’s it. Z, yep he’s around again - his role- to try and ease us on to the JM lovefest train.

While I don’t really froth for Wrath he’s even more assholish than normal. And not funny, he’s always funny. He’s like a giant baby throwing a tantrum in this book.

🚫 There’s very little humor in this book. Lass being a dipshit doesn’t count. What he said to V, if reversed would have had all V haters foaming at the mouth, but with Lass it’s funny #nope

⏩ Look if you LOVE the angsty couple that is JM and Xhex then this is your book. If you’re into JM boo-hoo‘ ing about NOT being a Brother this is your book. If you like characters keeping secrets for no known reason this will be an awesome read.

Ⓜ️ Murhder is supposed to be the crazy one, the Brother that was kicked out (the Bloodletter was also, thanks for confirming that finally Ward!) because he went insane. Yeah no, he’s not crazy he’s a recluse. Telling me a character is crazy but they don’t do crazy shit doesn’t make them crazy. Murhder is a badass and was shafted by the Brotherhood and lived a lie for Xhex. She’s written like she gets a pass because she does right in the end — too little too late for me. Murhder is a standup guy. I love him, not in a my-favorite-brother way but he’s a solid character. He’s really a gooey cinnamon roll like Rhage.

Sadly, Murhder is a cut and paste of OG Brothers. He says lines others Brothers have said, like “there is no good-bye for us” ok V said something similar to Jane in Unbound. He broke an arm off a sofa... Butch did that in DL, shower sex = Manny cornered the market on that activity. Marking Sarah in the shower, Assail broke the readers in on that move. Maybe Rehv too, can’t remember.

🛑 Lassiter. Really? Why does he have to be naked in the Tomb? Why does that scene need to be anymore cringier? When did he get his “jesses” back? Gold lamae ass-less chaps, why? And using Murhder to explain why Lass is a great choice for being their leader, I’m not buying it... because the stuffy rigid rule gets tiring so it’s better to have a god with a sense of humor? A fallen angel that the vamps basically hate? WHY?! Why is Lass the overseer of the race? He caused the deaths of thousands of humans... why will he be better with vampires?!!!!! He’s all ready passing out diamonds like they are candy, where’s the balance? P.S. Lassiter wants to be a Brother so bad it’s painful to watch. Why is he still at the Compound? His mission was over in Lover Reborn. Fly away to the Sanctuary, please.

📚 This book can be read without reading any of the other books. Ward info dumps on each character for a brand new reader. None of the loose ends from The Thief (BDB 16) crossover. The tease that Devina is in the book while technically true is about half a page. She does nothing but come back.

⚡️Have I completely broken up with BDB, no not yet. I still have a thread of hope for The Sinner (2020) — at least I know Butch will have lines and HOPEFULLY we will get back to he and V as a team again. And my babes Eddie and Adrian are supposed to join the team as well.

🤬 Every time I think about this book I want to take a star away. BRING BACK MY BROTHERS WARDEN!