Rapture (Fallen Angels #4)

I\’ve waited for this book for an entire year! I do understand that the author, the awesome J.R. Ward is probably snowed under and I shouldn\’t really complain as in about six months I will be reading the long, long awaited \’Lover at Last\’ #11 in the BDB series… still! I sound like a petulant child and one who will be stomping her foot shortly. But, you have to understand that this author rocks my reading world. She really does. With that said, however, this was nothing (except in a few parts here and there) like it\’s predecessors. By this I mean, it wasn\’t full of what I\’ve come to expect from the Warden; the body ripping action scenes, evil incarnate making me physically ill while reading what she\’s capable of, the trips upstairs where hilarious chats are carried on by those who \’rule\’ and make decisions. This one picks up where Envy #3 ended, of course. Matthias is dead, killed by Isaac Rothe and sent to Hell, which is exactly where he needed to be. Anyone who has lived the way he has and taken as many lives as he has, makes for a no-brainer. But, the war between good (Jim Heron) and evil (Devina) still forges on and will do so until such time as either side wins. We, of course, are all hoping that by the seventh book, it will be the Fallen Angels. Sometimes, certain people get a second chance – one in which it\’s hoped the right choice is made. And what do you know? -Matthias wakes up naked on Jim Heron\’s grave. As if this wasn\’t confusing enough, he doesn\’t have a clue what the heck is going on, or even who he is. He has amnesia. He has headaches where flashbacks regarding his previous life occur and they are not pleasant in the least. He ends up \’meeting\’ Mels Carmichael (a tough cookie) who helps him. She\’s a kind soul and Matthias is appreciative. This somehow is strange for him – why doesn\’t it feel right? As she\’s a journalist, Matthias eventually asks Mels to dig around and find out what she can about him and the person on who\’s grave he woke up. Short of writing precisely what went down in this book, Adrian, Jim, Matthias and Mels all work towards a common goal. Jim and Ad weren\’t sure what the crossroads would be, but are now convinced that Mels is Matthias\’s key. It turns out differently of course. Where at one point everyone thought XOps members (Matthias used to be Jim\’s boss back in the day – when they were alive) were after Matthias, it turns out they were after someone else entirely. Mels and Matthias fall in love. Things are hindered by the fact that Matthias is impotent due to his attempt at suicide. One scene I absolutely loved was when Adrian did something that was completely against everything he practices in a personal sense. The story behind Matthias\’s life is revealed and Mels is left brokenhearted, but it all ends as it should, with one exception. Why oh why couldn\’t Eddie have come back? I hope he makes an appearance in future books, somehow. I know he\’s had his chance, but he needs to come back. My heart breaks for Adrian, honestly. And Dog? -too cute for words. I\’m rating this one as four stars, because although this was mild compared to what I\’m used to in this series, I still loved reading it. I\’m invested in these characters, heck, I was invested in them from #1, Covet. Once they become almost like family, it\’s really hard to shove them aside. For me at least. So, although Sissy is still stuck in the Well of Souls and Jim is still obsessing over her, Devina was nowhere near her usual disgusting, evil self, and I hate saying this but I felt a \’teeny\’ bit sorry for her because really, at the end of the day it\’s her job. I also can\’t help but laugh at how OCD she is. Ward manages to dish out a character who is completely rotten to the bone, has the ability to clothe herself in human skin with an end result of looking like a gorgeous brunette bombshell, yet in her true form – she\’s disgusting and slimy and you still end up kind of liking her. There, I said it. The chemistry between Devina and Jim is sick at best, but compelling. He doesn\’t want to, has been tortured by her and her minions, yet when the urge hits he is quick to fall prey to her. He hates it, but still it happens. Ward is cunning in a good way and the snarkiness she brings to the table had me laughing out loud numerous times throughout not only this book but all of them. What Ward also manages to do, is kind of force you to sympathise with those you really don\’t want to. It\’s tough to feel this way, but let me tell you, by the end of the book you just can\’t help it. I guess there\’s good and bad in (almost) everyone and most times (almost) everyone craves redemption. Although Rapture was \’quiet\’, I do think it was needed. And now, because of Jim\’s decision, Devina is once again on an equal footing with him, so it will be interesting to see how their arrangement will be played out in the next installment. Highlight, and those of us who are absolute fans of the BDB series will know, just know who this pertains to: The six bastards were all dressed in black leather, which might have marked them as Goths–except the way they walked in formation behind their leader had a professional solider vibe. This made me laugh… One and only one thought went through his mind: \”Do not tell me we\’re going for a round three with you.\” As Matthias sat up and rubbed the back of his noggin, he shot a glare upward. \”You dropped me on my head.\” \”You\’re dead!\” \”Oh, and that\’s an excuse?\” and… Off in the distance, other mammoth houses could be dimly seen–none of which was in a decrepit condition. \”Does it have running water?\” \”Yeah. And electricity.\” \”Will miracles never cease.\” So much more really, but I can\’t put them all here.

Wow, I know I have been behind in my reading, and to see I had this book since September and had not read it made me wince. It was a must this week and sometimes Ms Ward does this to me and made me say WOW. This series has been a good read for me, but pretty much cut and dried, looking for the winner Good or Evil. This book has delved into more of the players ( or pawns)and how each of them is suffering in this game between God and the Devil. With Eddie gone, Adrian and Jim have been left bereft and faltering which is different than the assured boys previously. Matthias is kicked out of Hell and offered another chance. That is also a switch that blew my mind. The evil man, who had done so much bad as the XOP\’s leader getting a second chance? Well why not, isn\’t everyone entitled to change? Our heroine Mels, working at the newspaper, taking over the job Beth left (from the BDB) was also meaningful as she was a clone…a kick ass heroine. There really was nothing I did not like about this story. I loved Adrian realizing Eddie was gone and he couldn\’t blow it anymore. I loved what he did for Matthais, taking over his physical hurt. I loved Jim as always being the strong one, now learning his anger brings out the devil in him and what that anger manifesting with his relationship with Devina. And Devina is alost humanized as she needs a shrink for her OCD Cannot wait for the next book..Will Devina make that deal and how will God feel if Good loses a flag? .

The book is well written & full of excitement. The characters are well rounded & enthralling. Loads of people in the random of the Warden love this book. I was left wanting. I did not want some of the characters to get the sunshine day. I felt the ending cheapness the emotion of the loss & made the whole book a waste of time.

I liked this book, a lot, to be honest i kind of don\’t like Matthias much but i understand the why he is here. i love this story, i see Jim Heron as an anti-hero type, not angel all good and pink, that said, the stroy as always so good, maybe the editor want to check a bit the timelines because in some events kind of scrambles things a bit, nothing major but it does. the characters are great, Mels is the perfect match for Matthias, nobody else could handle hi as she does, i love her. in this series the only constants are the Jim and his wingmen, so their story is in development but i really don\’t like him so much, it troubles me, he seems to have the right reasons to do the wrong things and that exactly is what keeps drawing me to this books, i will keep reading until Mrs. Ward decides is enough, probably i won\’t think so because i love the way she writes… i am not giving 5 stars because i don\’t love the main characters, actually i am fond of Adrian but i don\’t like jim much…

Let me start off by saying, I hate the relationship Jim Heron has with Devina. Okay, they are enemies, fine, but why do they have to have sex? That\’s throwing off my whole vibe of seeing Jim as an angel or the guy I want him to be. This is not the first story where they do the deed, but at least in the last one you could blame it on coercion and deal with it. The story was okay, I had to refresh my memory on Matthias. I would think a psychopath couldn\’t change but I guess love conquers many. Matthias was evil in the past and after his suffering in hell, he was given a second chance because Devina cheated (as always) in the game between good and evil. Mel supposedly loved Matthias, but she didn\’t take the time to hear his side of the story when she saw the grim reaper tattoo on his back and when she got the call about the bullet casing from ballistics. She was just full of accusations. After all the tenderness and love he showed her, she should have realized he had some good somewhere in his heart. On another note, apparently you can die and come back to life in these stories, so I hope Eddie gets his chance.

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