Please note: the sale price was valid Saturday 30 March 2014 only. So these books aren't on sale any longer — but by request, the entry remains because there are some archive review goodies linked within. Thanks!
Look, this sale is kind of epic, but if you haven't read the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, be warned. It is straight up, unfiltered, USDA organic, locally sourced READING CRACK. And books 1 – 7 are on sale today only for $1.99 each. AND the price matching fairies were busy making the price valid at most retailers.
If you like paranormal romance that blends powerful and emotionally scarred heroes and a wide beaker full of bubbling crazysauce, behold your catnip. I should warn you that if you start the series, mainlining it is dangerous, and you won't get much done because they are frighteningly addictive. And if you have read them, digital backup copies are a good idea. You never know when it might rain all weekend and you'll need something campy and intense to fill some dark hours.
Dark Lover is book 1 in the Black Dagger Brotherhood. It is the gateway drug to a long, absorbing series that will suck you in like nothing else. Be ye wary. Back in the day, mathematician Doc Turtle reviewed this book chapter by chapter, as did Candy in 2007:
I avoided reading the book. Look, I told myself, if a book can give me about three hours’ worth of riffing material from the first two pages alone, will I be able to get my internal smart-ass to shut up enough to allow me to read through the goddamn thing?
The answer, surprisingly, was “yes.” Dark Lover is nothing if not compelling. It’s also, well, crap. Hooray for compelling crap. We loves us some compelling crap over here in Smart Bitch Central.
And, if you already know this, $1.99 is a great price to grab yourself a digital backup (which is what I'm doing).
In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.
The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams.
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Kobo
Lover Eternal by JR Ward is $1.99 today. This is book two. I feel like I should make sure you've got time and snacks standing by before you start this series. Go get some snacks and cancel your plans, k?
Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetites. He’s the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover—for inside him burns a ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin. Possessed by this dark side, Rhage fears the times when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him.
Mary Luce, a survivor of many hardships, is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world and reliant on Rhage’s protection. With a life-threatening curse of her own, Mary is not looking for love. Her faith in miracles was lost years ago. But when Rhage’s intense animal attraction turns into something more emotional, he knows that he must make Mary his alone.
And while their enemies close in, Mary fights desperately to gain life eternal with the one she loves…
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Kobo
Lover Awakened: here to wake up your book budget and send it screaming for the hills. No, really, it's outie. The first seven books for $2 each is horrible temptation. This is Zsadist's story, and he's a fan favorite among those who love the BDB: he's scarred both externally and internally.
A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike.
Anger is his only companion and terror his only passion—until he rescues a beautiful female from the evil Lessening Society.
Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for each other begins to overtake them, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past and find a future with her….
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Kobo
Lover Revealed by JR Ward: $1.99 today. RUN WHILE YOU STILL CAN. Or, enjoy a rather landmark and legendary series in paranormal romance for many, many reasons. L'Revealed is Butch's story – he's a human cop. And really, that's about all I can say without spoiling a lot of it.
No, wait, I can say one more thing: this book was the subject of one of my most favorite reviews that I've written here. I envisioned the characters making a movie of the book, and discussing their roles in the novel while on a break. I had a LOT of fun writing this one:
Marissa: Man, I am beat.
Butch: Me, too. This “your angst, my angst” thing is way tiring, you feel me?
Marissa: Frankly, I’m a little tired of feeling you. You’re all up my skirt with lust ahoy and then in the next chapter, if it’s not about some blonde baby powder monster man, you’re freaking out about your own worth or some shit, so you get drunk and you blow me off.
Butch: Hey, that’s how it’s written.
Butch O'Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard-living ex-homicide cop, he's the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.
And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world-to engage in the turf war with the lessers. His heart belongs to a female vampire, Marissa, an aristocratic beauty who's way out of his league. And if he can't have her, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers.
But fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, he's found by a miracle, and the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back, though even her love may not be enough to save him.
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Kobo
Lover Unbound is $1.99, and this one is about Vishous and Dr. Jane. This book has the ending that makes the highest number of fans go bat guano ragefest, so proceed with caution and/or a large grain of salt. Or, read it and enter the debate about the ending. It's still ongoing.
Ruthless and brilliant, Vishous, son of the Bloodletter, possesses a destructive curse and a frightening ability to see the future.
As a pretrans growing up in his father's war camp he was tormented and abused. As a member of the Brotherhood, he has no interest in love or emotion, only the battle with the Lessening Society.
But when a mortal injury puts him in the care of human surgeon, Dr. Jane Whitcomb compels him to reveal his inner pain and taste true pleasure for the first time-until a destiny he didn't choose takes him into a future that cannot include her.
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Kobo
Lover Enshrined! $1.99! That rhymes!
This one is about Phury who is Zsadist's twin, and the mixed reviews on this book (and many of the others) are kind of epic. Some readers looooved this book (all of the BDBs so far have 4+ stars with casting photos and gifs and quotes and we're gonna need a squee mop in aisle 6 (TM RedHeadedGirl). Others haaaated this one, and some of the others, and you can kind of tell when people start to drop off the series.
It either hooks you or it doesn't, or the hooks start to let go after awhile. I don't recommend reading one after another, but yet,like I said, if you like dark angst paranormal with a glazing of camp, you'll want to read these. Just space them out.
Fiercely loyal to the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Phury has sacrificed himself for the good of the race, becoming the male responsible for keeping the Brotherhood's bloodlines alive. As Primale of the Chosen, he is obligated to father the sons and daughters who will ensure that the traditions of the race survive, and that there are warriors to fight those who want all vampires extinguished.
As his first mate, the Chosen Cormia wants to win not only his body, but his heart for herself. She is drawn to the noble responsibility behind the emotionally scarred male. But Phury has never allowed himself to know pleasure or joy. As the war with the Lessening Society grows grim, tragedy looms over the Brotherhood's mansion, and Phury must decide between duty and love.
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Kobo
Lover Avenged is $1.99 and is about Rehvenge. Wait, sorry. Lhover Ahvehnghed is $1h.99h and is abouht Rehvenge.
This series REALLY hurt my ability to spehll.
Caldwell, New York, has long been the battleground for the vampires and their enemies, the Lessening Society. It's also where Rehvenge has staked out his turf as a drug lord and owner of a notorious night club that caters to the rich and heavily armed. His shadowy reputation is exactly why he's approached to kill Wrath, the Blind King and leader of the Brotherhood.
Rehvenge has always kept his distance from the Brotherhood-even though his sister is married to a member, for he harbors a deadly secret that could make him a huge liability in their war against the lessers.
As plots within and outside of the Brotherhood threaten to reveal the truth about Rehvenge, he turns to the only source of light in his darkening world, Ehlena, a vampire untouched by the corruption that has its hold on him-and the only thing standing between him and eternal destruction.
I wouldn’t even be able to start this series because reasons. Namely, OMIGERD could most of these names be any stupider (even without the bizarre “speshul snowflake” spelling). I almost want to call STFU Parents blog on these characters’ parents or the author, whichever is closer, for inflicting such horrendous monikers on unsuspecting characters.
This is also why, despite my great love for m/m romance, I am uncertain that I will ever be able to bring myself to read “Lover At Last”.
Gho ohn. Trhy ohne.
I’d read the first two a while back and needed a break because, you know, the spacing out thing to let my brain recover. Now I’ve downloaded the next five and I’m worried for my sanity. Thanks for the heads up, Sarah!
Two words: Leather pants.
Seriously, these guys must own stock in the leather industry.
@SB Sarah: Nice one.
You know, this series felt so ground-breaking in 2005. At the same time that some of it made me cringe (not just the names and the dialogue, but that mortifying BDB initiation shuffle in the Tomb), I was hooked, totally and astonishingly hooked. And the revolution was a quiet one, not like FSofG and its attendant news coverage; the BDB swept into the borders of romance and the ensuing explosion made me think of a flexible dome that bows out and muffles the whoomp. If you weren’t inside or looking at the dome, you’d never have noticed.
Is that sufficiently OTT?
Still, my infatuation brought me to sites like this and DA, and introduced me to friends I will know and treasure all my life. That I can hardly stand to read the later books now saddens me, but doesn’t diminish the fun I had through the first seven—no, five—wait, four. What a long, strange trip it’s been.
Oh! What have I done? The buy with one click at Amazon is an evil, evil tool. I went and bought not only the seven books but the low-priced audiobooks as well. Thank the stars in heaven that there’s still some remaining preservation instinct left in me or I would have bought the entire series at full price so lost in clicking I was
Yhou ahre ahll vihctim hto theh chrack thaht ihs thihs sehries.
And Darlynne is totally (tohtally) right. This series was more than groundbreaking when it came out. There was more good book noise and gasp-sighing done about these books than most other paranormal romances, and it changed a LOT about the genre.
Nhot ahlwahys fohr theh behttehr, buht chahnge nohnethelehss.
Oh, man! A couple co-workers love this series and I have been resisting purchasing and reading. But how can I pass it up now???
I loved Doc. Turtle’s review of the first book and it was actually one of his reviews I saw via twitter that brought me to SBTB, which I now visit daily. So, yay for that! But I have no interest in tortured, paranormal heros, one of whom is a drug lord, uh, no. So, I will remain safe on this one.
@Hehlen:
Youh cahnnot rehsisht theh crahck. Cohme hto theh dahrk sihde.
@Kelly:
Dohc Tuhrtle’s rehviehw: theh behst. 🙂
Perfect timing with the Anti-trust book money settlement this week! I was trying my extra “h” typing, but anti-thrust just, I couldn’t.
Kudos to SB Sarah for mastering the random H!
I will resist. I will resist. I will… hey, my library has the first one… DHAMMIT!!
Geez…fine…okay…I purchased all of them…only because you have never steered me wrong before. I have to say that I’ve never been interested in paranormal romance but I couldn’t say no after those reviews. Here goes nothin’!
I’m trusting you here, Sarah. I still can’t believe those are the names. That’s like something I would do to see if my editor was awake.
@Ginger:
Ghet readhy. Theh crahck ihs powerfuhl ihn eahch boohk. Highh grahde. Lihke whoah. Thehy ahre sihlly cahmpy ahnd ahdicctihve.
@Sarah
So I guess I should have said… Gheez…fhine…ohkay!!!
@Ginger:
Yehs. Muhch behtter.
This series is my Dirty Little Secret. I know it’s the equivalent of empty calories but I can’t give it up. It’s campy and ridiculous and I totally love it. If you open the junk food drawer on my Nook it will be full of this. Yum.
The reviews are priceless! I’ll pass on The Brotherhood though….ridiculous names are my pet-peeve, especially in paranormals.
Thanks for the laughs!
leshlie
Unfortunately for me my interest in this series waned at about Phury’s book, the last one on sale, or maybe my tolerance for the crack it was just got too high for some of the crazy sauce!
I quit the series after Vishous, but I had to have them in e-book, so I am back on the crhack. Do I get points for only buying through book 7? Also, I really wanted to see what happened to Rehvenge. Okay, now I feel stupid just typing the names. Oh well, I’ll read one a month until I have them all re-read/read.
Seriously, I would buy the series if I could Find/Replace all of the names and correct the spelling. I just can’t stand creative spelling.—Shudder—
Possible vague SPOILERS
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I don’t plan to take advantage of the sales, but NO WAY will I pass up an opportunity to talk about the BDB. Said it before, say it again: they’re the right amount of ridiculous for me.
Who’s my favorite? The one with the funny name and the sorrowful past, of course.
That narrows it down to:
Mr. Dark Side of Hakuna Matata
Brad Pitt’s much sexier, MUCH older brother
The walking PTSD nightmare with two eating disorders…or maybe his twin, Celibate Gentleman Junkie
Mr. Hey How’d You Get in Here?
Bisexual BDSM Brainiac
Happily Married Guy (so you know life’s going to kick him in the fangs)
…and everyone else. See? There’s so much to love.
PS: I maintain BDB = X-Men
@Pheebers
Oh my goodness, Find and Replace! You’re a genius! I struggled through the first book because the names threw me so much I couldn’t pay attention to anything else (which, in the case of how they treated women, was probably a good thing) but I am so tempted to run it through Calibre now.
@Lindsay
I honestly just said that with snark—can you actually Find & Replace using Calibre???? I’m not a Calibre expert, and just use it to help organize & rename titles on my old kindle touch, but I know it’s actually very powerful.
Glad I’m not the only one who abhors “creative spelling”. I have to draw the line when I can’t even figure out how to say the name in my head (forget saying it out loud). I tend to think that people who do this basically play a form of the final puzzle on “Wheel of Fortune”, where they are given a name and then told to pick four consonants and buy a vowel, arrange them randomly, and congrats! Character’s name. lol
Or it’s just a truly evil prank to make sure the editor is awake, as mentioned above.
I can’t believe how much I love these. I mean, they’re awful. Even without the spelling they are awful. And the spelling is a deal breaker. And the characters, and the plot, and the style, and the dialogue: all bad. On beyond absurd. And yet if I hadn’t been forced to wait for each new release I would have sat down and read them without stopping until I died of starvation. Seriously, this sale is dangerous.
I read Vishous’s (I think?) book over Christmas – got it from the library – and my eyes about rolled out of my head, so I won’t be taking advantage of the sale. But I’m beyond gleeful at the spelling in theshe commentsh.
Thahnk youh Sahrah for pohstihng ahgaihn. Youh ahreh theh behst!
So, thanks for that. I read the first chapter of Dark Lover and recognized it for the crahck it is. Soon I will be snort-laughing over a copy of my own.
The first four books were great but then the series took a nose-dive for me. I must have outgrown Ward’s books because after a while, I got tired of the “shit-kickers” the lame names, her ruining the HEA of some of my favorite characters. Maybe there is only so much vampire novels one can take before one says, enough already..been there, read that. I would be very interested in reading something by Ward that is of a different genre other than paranormal because she is a great writer. $1.99 is about all I would pay. The new book is $16.99.
At first I read “The Black Duggar Brotherhood” which would have been a completely different thing.
I just bought them out of my amazon payback. That doesn’t count, right? There is definitely some crack in these books, they remind me of Pringles…can’t just have one…
So sad I was away for the weekend and missed this. Not the sale, I stopped buying after Lover Revealed, but the review rewinds and the comments. I swore after Phury’s book, NEVER AGAIN. But then Rhev’s book came out, and it was okay so I read John’s “gurf” sorry, threw up in my mouth a little…and then the sister and then Tohr and that’s when the shitkicker really hit the fan. One too many continuity errors, one too many liberties with her own world building, and I could practically write the next book it was so obvious where it was going. So, NEVER AGAIN!!
And yet, there it is on my library reserve list: The King. Because Wrath is the crack that I can not resist. He was the only thing that kept me reading, the only thing that got better as the books went on. I see a giant spackle job in my future.