The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider's Guide

I really enjoyed Bella and Zsadist short story. It was a really nice treat to see an update on a great couple from the brotherhood. Now i will admit the interviews characters part was fun but you can find basically the same stuff on her website, but they seemed updated. I really like when she explained the way she wrote each book. Speaking of which i was surprised and delighted the way she felt Lover Unbound was dificult to write. I felt Lover Unbound was the worst in the series and now i know why. The part of the book that was like her message boards online with the brothers was so funny. The brothers are dark, a little scary, but incrediably funny. And of course sexy i had no idea butch was J.R's favorite and blushes when writing about him i guess she has a crush on him lol. I would agree with her that i think Zsadist is my favorite.

Any BDB fan must pick this up. Such a great addition to the series, especially the short story about Zsadist and Bella. However, the entire book was definitely worth the read. Everything you wanted to know about the first six or seven novels, right here!

This Insider's Guide to J.R Ward's ever-growing Black Dagger Brotherhood series is a compilation of deleted scenes, Q&As, interviews, and of course the beautiful and romantic short story Father Mine.

The Best Parts:

Father Mine picks up on the story of Zsadist and Bella, who were first introduced as a couple in Lover Awakened, after the birth of their daughter Nalla. Zsadist struggles with his dark past and his confused emotions, finding it difficult to connect with his wife and daughter.

The interviews between Ward and each of her characters are very entertaining, providing a window into their thoughts and how things have changed as time in the series progresses.

Some of the content is deeply interesting, and some is just plain funny. It is exactly the kind of thing fans of the series will enjoy.

"Father Mine" novella and some of the deleted scenes were good. It was interesting reading about J.R. Ward's writing process and her thoughts about the books and the characters.

Could have done without the message board crap and the weird "interviews" with the characters.

If you are addicted to the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, this book is an excellent compliment to the collection.
It is really a treat to read J.R. Ward's thoughts on each of the stories and to read inside tidbits.
The book has lots of fun things too. My favorite was when J.R. Ward has a section in the book when she writes the dialogue of Brothers goofing around an internet forum board. Just hilarious. How she keeps them all going on is amazing.
She has a great novella at the beginning which is cool to read too. The missing scenes or a different version of a scene and then explains why she chose to go with the published version.
Great handbook and I am so pleased she put the book together. It is totally worth it.

Rarely have I seen an author so generous with explanations of her writing process. Of course this is a juicy treat for fans of the BDB--but to get the REAL skinny on how characters come to an author plus how demanding the process
really is to get from here to there. That info is rare and a really special sharing. In reading all her books, I had begun to hesitate because the stories and subplots were so complex and intense. I always gave the books as gifts with a comment not to get discouraged reading them. But now I see how intensely JR Ward works at her stories and characters and I am enthralled. Having been around many writers, I have yet to see one with this level of work ethic. Maybe that explains a lot.

I LOVED this companion book. There was a lot of great information in it, and lots of fun things to read. I do agree with other reviewers, that most of the book can be found on the website (slices of life, interviews, forums etc)I had read some of the site but I like having all this stuff tangible in front of me. Even if I had already seen whats on the internet, i would have bought it anyway to have at my disposal. Consider all that before buying this.
SO, Father Mine is a great novella and Ill tell you why. Some readers have said that they dont like the fact that Zsadist suddenly gets all better after meeting Bella even though he has been suffering for years. This little story shows that he STILL has issues, but he has improved greatly with her help. He isnt magically better, or some new super friendly social guy. He still needs help with daily contact and stuff and needs to get through some things.
The Slices of Life are fun, they are like little stories to keep us satisfied while we wait for books to be released. I also liked the info about each book and how Ward fills us in on what it was like writing that particular tale and what was going on with her during that process.
[...]

OK well I got sucked into the whole series of books and loved every fabulous minute of them. Some books were painful to read, others a joy but the journey was amazing. I long for more of them. So since I finished the last book on John Mathew, I succumbed to the Insiders edition of the series. I was not ready to read it until I finished the lot. I find it insightful and charming. I got some answers to things I didn't really clew into Like John being Darius reincarnated..duh. Was not sure how that worked. Little things that filled in the gaps. This was a really fun summer read (yes all 8 books) and I love the brothers so much. They are totally hot and complex and fabulous.

This book has many parts to it, the best being a short story with Bella and Z. I enjoyed the story. I enjoyed the deleted scenes, but the rest honestly didn't do anything for me. The "interviews" I thought were studpid. They didn't give you more of the character, just more words on paper. I honestly didn't care for page after page of "funnies" that were cut and paste from books I already own, and the info on each character (fav color, movies, etc)... honestly: WHO CARES.

I would pay 7.99 for the novella and the deleted scenes, but 2x the price for fluff added to the novella, no thanks

As a huge Black Dagger Brotherhood fan, I wanted the Insider's Guide since it came out, but I am not big on buying companions. I picked up the large paperback edition at a local bookstore that was going out of business, and I am so glad I did. I had already downloaded the short story in the book, but all of the other information, interviews, etc. were very cool too.

I don't know that I would want it on my kindle, it's much easier to flip through to where you want to read in book form, but I would recommend it to any BDB fan.

This is the book I wish Sherrilyn Kenyon would have written for the Dark Hunter series. That insider's guide was disappointing. J. R. Ward's was worth the money to me.

Unlike some of the detractors, I do not frequent the BDB website so most of this material was new to me. Even if I did know it, I think I would like having all the material in one place. I found this series at the third book. All the books happen within a few years so the timeline and interviews help me put things in their chronological order. Father Mine and the Lover Avenged excerpt are nice bonuses. By the way, the novella is available on it own as an ebook. I hope she follows this book up with another insider's guide when she has done another six in the series.

I am glad the next book is coming out in less than a year but I am disappointed to hear that it will be hardcover. I will probably get it as an ebook to save room.

I truly enjoyed reading this. J.R. Ward shared her motivation, insight and love of the characters she created in the Black Dagger Brother series, and she did this is a very interesting and satisfying way.

The short story about Zsadist and Bella was so sweet I read it twice. I truly enjoy the interviews with the brothers--and the one were the brothers interviewed J.R. Was a hoot.

I would recommend a reader read all the books--at least up to Phury--before dipping into this one...mainly because it is littered with spoilers--but even worse than that would be the lack of appreciation that I think a reader would feel if they were not familiar with the brothers through the stories.

When this was first offered in I believe 2008 I purchased it and was very happy with the stats on the Brothers. I believe the time has come for an updated insiders guide. So much has happened and new characters have been introduced.

As a newcomer to the BDB series (which I adore )I found this book answers some of the questions I've had while reading. JR Ward as a wicked sense of humor.I enjoyed the interviews with her characters,the novella "Father MIne ",and the preview of "Lover Avenged".Each summer I set reading goals.The goal this summer is to read the BDB series .

Ah, now THIS is why I fell in love with the Brothers. This is why I think
Ward is a terrific writer. Lately I felt as if she was falling into the same slope many writers fall victim to but I was greatly pleased and surprised by the Insiders Guide.

The short story with Z and Bella was absolutely wonderful. It wasn't rushed, cut short, or just thrown together. Wonderful moments and wonderful writing. I don't love these books for the slangs or the jokes, I love the superb visualizations. When Z was thinking about destiny....wonderful.

There's also new interviews with each brother as well as them filling out little quizzes. Rhage cracks me up.

For us average fans that can't obsess and stalk her website 24/7, this book is wonderful in keeping us all up to date. There's the chats the brothers had on JR's message board, as well as "slices of life" and an excerpt from Rehvenge's story, Lover Avenged. JR also goes through each book with her thoughts and ideas on each book.

There's even deleted scenes!

JR even took the time to include a large chapter for fellow writers. I didn't read this section, but it does look very thorough.

The biggest prize, though, is Z's story. I recommend this for that alone.

For those that felt as if the last few books have been lacking will definitely find a wonderful surprise here.

I think this is a must have for all true BDB fans. But, I still found it lacking. Though she seems to go into great detail about the dynamics of the relationships of the hero and heroine of each book and touches on some questions readers may have had, she doesn't really go into a lot of detail concerning John Matthew, Quinn, Blay, and some of the other secondary characters in the series. For instance, Phury's book introduced a lot of new storylines and characters, but she barely touches on these things. She does however explain that as a writer, she just goes with whatever is in her head at the time and really can't predict the future of this series. Though I respect her writing process, she introduced so much in the last book and I just wish she could have answered some of the very questions she seemed to create in her own writing.

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading the Insider's Guide but was delightfully surprised by the contents. I enjoyed the format she used in exploring each of the Brothers characters, bringing to life what goes on in her mind. The interviews were true to the characters and, of course, humorous. Ward described her process of writing in such a way that it could be used as a guide for other aspiring writers. I was amazed at how Ward created such a credible world filled with incredible characters and allowed the readers a peek.

This is a HILARIOUS read! From the questionnaires the brothers filled out about themselves, the interviews that J.R. has with each of the brothers, and the message boards at the end of the book from the fans of the BDB series that the author found. Also has Z's and Bella's novella "Father Mine".. And so much more.. Definitely a must read for any true BDB fan!!!

What fun to read! I swear, JR Ward makes these guys seems real (and wouldn't that be fun?)
The 'survey' each character fills out is hysterical. It was also interesting to get the author's perspective on favorite scenes as well as reasons certain scenes played out the way they did.
Overall, the book made me want to go back and read the series again. Fortunately, there is a new one coming soon!

New Favorite Vampire Romance Series! I really like the style that these books are written in, you never get bored or lose interest. This is a different take on the Vampire world. There is the Black Dagger Brotherhood that protects all of the Vampire race from their enemy the Lessors. The Brotherhood is made up of a handful of Chosen Vampires that are supreme warriors and legends in the Vampire World. The Scribe Virgin is the cause of vampires existence and is their ruling council. The Lessoning Society is ruled by the Omega and their sole purpose is to rid the world of Vampires. Lessors are de-souled humans that are ageless but can be killed by a stab to the chest.
The Books take place in Caldwell, NY and have a modern approach to the to the typical vampire world. The vampires live lavishly, frequent clubs, and enjoy loud rap music. They also make sure their existence is unknown to humans. The books introduce many characters in a subplots that will eventually have their whole story in their own book, which keeps you intrigued.
Check out more of my Suggestions and Reviews at [...]

I think this is a must have for all true BDB fans. But, I still found it lacking. Though she seems to go into great detail about the dynamics of the relationships of the hero and heroine of each book and touches on some questions readers may have had, she doesn't really go into a lot of detail concerning John Matthew, Quinn, Blay, and some of the other secondary characters in the series. For instance, Phury's book introduced a lot of new storylines and characters, but she barely touches on these things. She does however explain that as a writer, she just goes with whatever is in her head at the time and really can't predict the future of this series. Though I respect her writing process, she introduced so much in the last book and I just wish she could have answered some of the very questions she seemed to create in her own writing.

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading the Insider's Guide but was delightfully surprised by the contents. I enjoyed the format she used in exploring each of the Brothers characters, bringing to life what goes on in her mind. The interviews were true to the characters and, of course, humorous. Ward described her process of writing in such a way that it could be used as a guide for other aspiring writers. I was amazed at how Ward created such a credible world filled with incredible characters and allowed the readers a peek.

This is a HILARIOUS read! From the questionnaires the brothers filled out about themselves, the interviews that J.R. has with each of the brothers, and the message boards at the end of the book from the fans of the BDB series that the author found. Also has Z's and Bella's novella "Father Mine".. And so much more.. Definitely a must read for any true BDB fan!!!

This book is a most have for any BDB fan. It had Father mine and 100 of pages Of information on the Brothers.

I especially loved the Dossiers and interviews with the Brothers and the Deleted scenes and extra scenes from the Brothers forum.

I read this one right before Lover at Last it was perfect!

What fun to read! I swear, JR Ward makes these guys seems real (and wouldn't that be fun?)
The 'survey' each character fills out is hysterical. It was also interesting to get the author's perspective on favorite scenes as well as reasons certain scenes played out the way they did.
Overall, the book made me want to go back and read the series again. Fortunately, there is a new one coming soon!

New Favorite Vampire Romance Series! I really like the style that these books are written in, you never get bored or lose interest. This is a different take on the Vampire world. There is the Black Dagger Brotherhood that protects all of the Vampire race from their enemy the Lessors. The Brotherhood is made up of a handful of Chosen Vampires that are supreme warriors and legends in the Vampire World. The Scribe Virgin is the cause of vampires existence and is their ruling council. The Lessoning Society is ruled by the Omega and their sole purpose is to rid the world of Vampires. Lessors are de-souled humans that are ageless but can be killed by a stab to the chest.
The Books take place in Caldwell, NY and have a modern approach to the to the typical vampire world. The vampires live lavishly, frequent clubs, and enjoy loud rap music. They also make sure their existence is unknown to humans. The books introduce many characters in a subplots that will eventually have their whole story in their own book, which keeps you intrigued.
Check out more of my Suggestions and Reviews at [...]

I loved this short story about Z, Bella, and their baby girl. Z is such a tortured soul, but very lovable and heart wrenching... I love Bella; she loves Z inside and out. J.R. Ward continues to be on my auto-buy list. If you haven't read the Black Brotherhood series yet, especially the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, you are in for a treat. Memo to Ward: Can we get a short story about Wrath and Beth?

I was just jonesing for MORE of the BDBH, and found this! It's got a mini-novella, lots of behind-the-scenes details and some silly but fun "interviews" and so on that give some insight into how the author crafts these wonderfully detailed novels in the world of the Brothers. I enjoyed it, but it's still not a new novel in the series, which is what I really want!

I TOTALLY agree to Book Connoisseur's post below. Suzanne Brockmann is exactly who I was thinking of too after buying this book- she's an author who is good to her fans by putting up free material, and maintains her quality of these free materials.

I am very disappointed in this book, because the content is of low quality; hence, it shouldn't have been published to begin with. With the exception of the novella, which is very good, mostly everything else is of fan-fiction quality. By fan-fiction, I mean that the content and writing style of addition material was very unorganized, noisy, and fake, like it wasn't the real author who wrote it, but some overactive teenage girl who is obsessed with hot fictional characters. This is especially true in the "Kicks and Giggles" and "Brother's on the board" section. If you have followed enough fanfiction sites and stories of anime, you will recognize similarities.

Also of low quality is the overall format of the book. Oversized paperbacks are very unattractive; this one especially so, because the pages are flimsy. Between Ward and her publisher, they have managed to stretch out content using poor layout design in order to increase pages. This is evident in the "Brother Stats" section.

The truth is, I really like the BDB series - I bought all of the books after I read them in the library. But I don't like J.R. Ward. I think she is an author who is in over her head, and is her own biggest fan. She is pushing her self-created fandom too far; she really isn't 'famous' or powerful enough to merit a full book detailing her series.

I really only bought this because I wanted to read the short story about Z and Bella. That comprises about the first 80 pages of the compendium and it didn't disappoint. It gives readers a look at what life is like for the couple right after the birth of their daughter, when Z is having trouble stepping into the role of being a father and Bella is thinking about leaving him if he can't get it together. It's a tough road as they try to work things out, but the connection that made Lover Awakened so great is there, and there are a few of Ward's trademark steamy scenes.

I thought the short story was great, but Z is my favorite Brother, so it's no surprise I loved it.

What did surprise me was that I really enjoyed a lot of the other things in the compendium, as well. I'd expected it to be mostly stuff from Ward's Web site - and some of it is - but most of it is new, including the interviews Ward did with each of the brothers. They all take place after the short story that starts the book off. In addition to the interview, there are questionnaires filled out by each of the brothers with fun facts. I particularly enjoyed sections after each interview, where Ward gives her comments about what it was like writing each of the books and the changes she made along the way. She goes into detail about the publishing process in some spots and gives tips for aspiring authors, which I mostly skimmed, but I can see how it would be helpful for someone looking to be published someday.

Another treat is a section of deleted scenes. There aren't many of them, but they're all good. My favorites were a scene between Phury and Cormia and the original version of the good-bye scene between Bella and Z form Lover Awakened (when she's packing and about the leave the Brothers' mansion toward the end). Ward writes that she thought the first version was too harsh for their good-bye and ended up going with a toned down version. Personally, I like the original better. One think I like about Ward's writing style is that she generally doesn't pull punches and stays true to the scenes that pop into her head, even when she's not sure how readers will respond.

The book also contains the Slices of Life from Ward's Web site and things that have run on the message boards, a glossary of some of the abbreviations she uses in the book (SOP, WTF, etc.) and their meanings, and an interview with Wellsie before her death. The only thing I was a little disappointed with was the interview with Ward conducted by the Brothers. That wasn't quite what I'd hoped for.

Overall, I'm pleased with the book, and after the teaser from Rhev's book, I can't wait for Lover Avenged!

This is a great supplement to a very enjoyable series. The novella at the beginning, 'Father Mine', is beautiful and has a little bit of everything: action, romance, pathos, humor. It's worthy of Ward's best works.

Throughout the reader can enjoy new material that illuminates motives as well as regrets amongst the main characters. The interviews and dossiers of the six Brothers are funny as well as informative and the interviews are great story telling as well.

The deleted scenes were frustrating in that some should really have appeared in their respective books, but it's nice to see them exist on the page *somewhere*. And the writing, of course, is excellent. The scenes may have been deleted, but not at all for lack of quality.

The excerpt for the next BDB book, 'Lover Avenged', is very enticing. A new character is introduced to be Rehvenge's HEA and it's an intro that wins the fan over from the first paragraph.

This is one of the best companion books I've read for a series. Very in depth and articulate with a great section for writers.

I highly recommend it as a new purchase. It'll be read over and over.

While I was not as disappointed in this book as many other readers were, I do have to agree that it isn't quite worth the increased price. The extra story that focuses on Bella & Zsadist was AMAZING! And I totally loved the interviews with the Brothers! What I wasn't as happy with was all of the details regarding the author's writing process and her lengthy advice on writing section. Overall? It would be a great addition to the series if it wasn't so over-priced.

This is a must for Black Dagger Brotherhood fans. I wish I had read it earlier. It has interviews and questionaires with the brothers. Plus, a wonderful section by Ward on writing. I recommended reading the writing sections to my writers group.

This is a definite must have for any BDB fan of the warden. Every cellie should have this in their library. Great inside information and insight into the characters, plus funny anecdots by the characters themselves. The Warden also gives helpful hints and advice to future upcoming writers out there. I would definitely recommend this to everyone who reads JR Ward

Great read if..you enjoyed all the books in series, vampires, an inside look of how writers work, tips and guides for writing, laughing, humor, behind the scenes, and really connecting with the writer.

I must be honest. I have never read a guide or compendium, nor have I ever had the desire to. Since this is by far my favorite PNR series, I decided if J.R. wrote it, than I owed it to myself to read it.

Thank god I did! I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book. It was like opening a tree full of Christmas presents, each one better than the last. From the never before published novella, "Father Mine", which was as heart-wrenching as it was hearth-warming, to countless musings and interactions that had me laughing out loud. The brothers are back in rare form, picking on each other as only they can. Ward's use of the "interview" provides character details that continue to make her readers feel sure that the Brothers are alive and well and living in New York State.

This book will be an incredible resource to up-and-coming writers with tons of behind-the-scene info on her writing process that is equally interesting to plain old readers such as me. The only downside is that it has only made the wait for the next installment even more difficult after reading the excerpt from Lover Avenged, which is not due out till, I believe, June 09.

At first, I was not so thrilled with this book; I was hoping for more of a 'story' than the brief Zadist / Bella / Nalla update. But as a dedicated Brother fan, I reread the series in order of the story line using the Insider's Guide as a reference and was absolutely thrilled with the insight it gave me.

The books themselves are fabulous and will stand on their own by every definition of the phrase, and if you have become dedicated to the Brotherhood as I have you should purchase this Guide. The Insider's Guide provides indepth understanding of the Brothers lives in ways I could not anticipate prior to using it as it was written to be used.

Two thumbs up for J.R. Ward!!!

I am absolutely in love with the Brotherhood series. This book was a great addition the the family. I mean, its sad that it wasnt a continuance in the storyline, but it was nice to get to know the brothers better. Its a little spendy, but if you love the brothers as much as I do, its worth it.

The stories, interviews, etc. are great fun for all BDB lovers!! But if you read nothing else, go to the end of the book for the blog entries by the "Brothers" themselves!! Then make up a good story to tell your friends about why you are laughing out loud, so they won't take the book away from you to read themselves! For the serious BDB addicts among us, this book is diverse and interesting enough to make it easier to wait for the next entry. If you haven't read any of the books, do NOT try to figure this one out yet. Read the books, then enjoy this on a long weekend, preferably with bad enough weather you can justify not leaving the house, and taking the phone off the hook.

Informative guide to the brotherhood, spanning the first six books. The deleted scenes were nice, and I really enjoyed the interviews by JR with the brothers. It added something extra to the book. I don't think it's necessary to read this one, in order to continue on with the series. It is a nice filler.

This series has another unique approach to the vampire world, intriguing and refreshing. I am just sad that I have read all of this series thus far and have to wait for the next installment. I have read several vampire series and highly recommend this to adults. This is not entirely appropriate for teens as their are some definite love scenes, which are also very well written.

This book is an anbsolutely must have if you are fan of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.
I bought the first 5 books in German translation, because I'm from Germany. And because I wanted to know how it went on with Phury and Rhevenge I ordered these books in English and of course The Insider Guide. I don't want to say to much, but it is really worth it to read. Interviews with the different brothers and the story Father Mine is brilliant...

This was not worth the money. I love the series, own them all and recommend them to others, but I always qualify it by telling them not to buy this book. Even the story about Zsadist and Bella, which was why I bought the book, didn't live up to her other books by any means. If you are at all interested in reading it, get it from the library, don't buy it. Wait until one of her full length novels comes out to purchase a book.

OK, so I realize it's Fiction but I wish she would have gone in a different direction in her interview with Vishous. There has always seemed to be some kind of 'rift' between the two of them and I feel like she took the easy route in keeping that information very vague. Other than that the book is a lot of fun. J.R. is brilliant in her ability to bring to life these characters. I would have given it five stars if when I'd skipped right to the Vishous interview I had actually felt like I had learned something new.

I'm so glad that I'm not the only person who felt this book was a waste of money. I bought it when it came out, and payed full hardcover price. Aside from that totally sweet short story, featuring Z and Bella, it was not worth the price. There's a lot of extras in this book...but they almost felt like "filler" to me. A lot of the information came from the website. In fact, I agree with a previous reviewer who noted that this book was an extension of the website. And, am I the only one who thought that the Writer's Stuff was excessive? Plus, do we really even care about what the old language looks like? I honestly skimmed over a lot of this information. I didn't really want to read it.

Honestly, I just want to read a good book. I wish the short story could have been sold individually. Oh well....

As previous reviewers have mentioned, the novella of Z and Bella was excellent. However, the rest of the compendium was a rehash of information on her website - Brothers on the Board were from 2006/2007, Slices of LIfe have been on the website for over a year, etc.

I didn't find a huge amount of new information in the book but the format made it easy to find and enjoy. The best lines were fun to see again in one place.

If you are new to the Brotherhood or don't visit Ward's website, then this book is for you. If you regularly visit her website or follow the author, this book will be a rehash for the most part and not worth your money (except for the novella.)

From a marketing standpoint, this is a good way to keep the series alive while we await the next installment in 2009 (in hardcover no less.)

Enjoy!

This is a spectacular addition to your Brotherhood collection. There are fun interviews and slices of life for each brother. Ward did a great job detailing her work and dedication to the series in this guide. I'm so glad a made this purchase and I highly recommend it for any Black Dagger Brotherhood reader!(If for no other reason than to get the short story on Zsadist, Bella and Nala.)

I was so excited when this came to my Kindle on Tuesday and was very pleased with the novella, "Father Mine." However when you go to the dossiers, it gets very hard to read. They are in 2 different fonts and the interview and questionaire font cannot be enlarged to see it. It is so small and light, it looks grey not black. I called the store and they are looking into it, but had to "return" it and am now buying actual book.

Okay, I'm just going to put it out there. This book is NOT worth the inflated price. There is really no need to OWN this book. If you have access to the website, then you basically have this book, in a nutshell.

The best thing about this book is the short novella between Bella and Zsadist. But even that's not worth the cost of this book. I actually read the short story at Barnes & Nobles.

Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of nice extras: deleted scenes, brother's stats, questions and answers from the Warden, and even a picture of what the old language looks like. But, (and I kinda hate to mention this) it feels like a ripoff, because she used to post these things for free on her website. And that nice section for wannabe writers: Suzanne Brockmann DOES give it away for free on her website. As a matter of fact, she gives away free Readers' Guides which has short stories about the present characters, even ongoing stories about favorite previous characters before each of her books are published. And if you don't have access to a paper copy of Suzanne's Readers' Guides, you just download them (for free) on her website.

If you must have this book, and most cellies (like myself) "must;" wait until you can find it second-hand. It is NOT worth the price.

This is, in my opinion, an essential guide for fans of The Black Dagger Brotherhood series, even those who have become disillusioned with the direction of the more recent books. The novella with Zsadist and Bella alone is worth the price. And add to that tons of information about each of the six brothers, all neatly gathered, right at your finger tips. A great guide to keep along with all your other brother books. Its sure to please any fan.

The Insider's Guide includes-
*82 page novella about Zsadist, Bella and Nalla (covers the birth and months afterward concentrating on Zsadist's adjustment to fatherhood)
* The Brother's stats (age, weight, eyes etc), personal questions answer sheet (e.i. fav TV show, what do you fear most?, most romantic thing you've ever done), and Ward's personal 'interview' with each brother
*Writer's guide -for those who want to know about breaking into the publishing business Ward gives some advice. Also included is the proposal for the brotherhood series that was sent through her agent to publishers.
*Deleted scenes -your absolutely going to love this if your Z fan *sigh*
*Kicks and Giggles -interesting quotes from each of the books
*Brother's on the board (that's Ward's discussion board) -imagine if-you-will that the brother's are regular posters on a discussion board this is what they write about themselves and others (they tease each other unmercifully)-some very funny scenes! Also includes Phury and Cormia's mating ceremony.
*Slices of life -little vignettes that Ward posted on the board about the brothers. Includes Movie Night, Wrath and the Letter Opener, In the Nature of Phury, and The Interview That Never Happened.
*Question and answer with Ward
*Time Line of the Brotherhood
*Table of abbreviations (i.e. -BTW)
*Picture of what the old language looks like
*The Brotherhood's Interview
*In Memoriam -Wellsie and Ward talk
*Excerpt -Lover Avenged (Rhev's book)

Recommended for fans of Wrath, Rhage, Butch, Vishous, Phury and especially Zsadist (I got mine book marked already!). Chock full of great stuff that I found touching and laugh-out-loud funny. It really helped me define the characters that I thought I knew so well already. I fell in love with these guys all over again!

***Not for anyone new to the series. You should read all the books first -major spoilers otherwise.

Dark Lover: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood (The Black Dagger Brotherhood)
Lover Eternal (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 2)
Lover Awakened (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 3)
Lover Revealed (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 4)
Lover Unbound (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 5)
Lover Enshrined (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 6)

I really enjoyed reading this book. I didn't realize there would be so much information on how she wrote the first 5 books of the Brotherhood series. Since I love to write myself, her guide and knowledge of the writing process was a big help and insight on her personal writing style. I would recommend to anyone interested in writing paranormal romance reading this book.

I am so happy to be able to say that this is the first book I have read in a long while that I have not been disappointed in. Lately even my reliable favorite authors have been disappointing me in their output. Never read a compendium before and didn't have very high hopes; at most I expected teasers and just enough fluff to torture readers until the next book comes out in May 2009. What a pleasant surprise to find such a beautifully compiled selection! There are a few sections containing information from her message boards and so, people who frequent the boards regularly will have already seen this information. However, I felt that even beyond the novella, there was a ton of new and interesting information. J.R. really let us into her head to see how she created her characters and a there was a kind of "behind the scenes" offering on the writing of each of the books. This, along with the brothers interviewing the author, the surveys each brother takes, the deleted scenes, the section of the old language (which I found fascinating since some of the brothers literally have these letters carved on their bodies) AND the novella, make it more than worth it's price, even if the message board info is something you're already familiar with. For those who are complaining about paying so much money for a book they were disappointed in due to rehashed material, hey, take a look at the table of contents before you buy. The contents which were from the board were clearly marked, and if it was too much repeated info for you, pass on this one. Simple as that. It is still going to be difficult waiting for the next book but now I feel sated, as though I have something satisfying to read through until then. A job very, very well done with this one!!!

I loved this book! Very entertaining! Great extras. Shows just how much work she put into writing and making this world! Great for writers to get an idea on how to put their own worlds together as well! This is definitely a book I wasn't sure of when purchasing but am thrilled I did! I only wish it were hard cover instead of soft.

Seriously the best series i've ever read! And this book was almost like a book 7! Loved the outtakes and brothers blogging etc. I laughed all through this book. So glad I bought it! I almost didn't, thinking it was just a review of the previous books.

This book has tons of background material on all the previous books. Lots of conversations with the Brothers. It is a great reference guide for when you want to re-read or when you are reading future books. It also has some stuff that is posted on her website but its nice to have it all in one place. It's a fairly large book. Definitely a worthy buy if you are a fan of J.R. Ward. and the Brothers.

Although obviously fictional characters, it was fun to take it a step further and read the character interviews created by the author. As a new reader, I also enjoyed reading the authors perspective of the books written and why she had to write what she did when she did.

the format was very hard to read. i actually had to use a magnifying glass to attempt to see the interview portions. these sections are not changeable font size on the kindle. due to this i would recommend a hard copy instead of using the kindle. i have often wondered about the creative process and found the authors experiences enlightening.

I liked the story of Z and Bella. However, if You've read the other books in this series, or visited her website you don't have to bother reading anything else in this book. There were actual postings and info that you can read for free on her website. I pretty much skimmed through and searched for stuff that I hadn't already read. I borrowed this book from someone. I'm really thankful that I didn't pay $10 for this short story. My advice is buy it used.

I was so not interested in reading the Insider's Guide. Seriously. Deleted scenes? Dossiers? Stats? Yawn. I read the series. Twice. I wanted a new story, not a rehash of what we already know and love about the characters.

Boy am I glad that, against my better judgment, I pre-ordered it.

And now I just might have to read them again. I read a lot. But I've never read a book twice before J. R. Ward. And now I'm contemplating a third time?

It's sick. Seriously awesome. But a little sick... ;-))

I looked forward to receiving this but was very disappointed. The beginning with the Bella and Zsadist excerpt is about the only thing worth having, but it's not worth the $$$ for only 80 or so pages. I loved the other books and hope the next will be a lot better than the Insider's Guide. Save your money...I wish I would have.

The book was very informative and insightful. Loved the mini novella with Z and Bella. I'm looking forward to future Brothers from the Brotherhood. This is a series that could go on for a long time as long as the Author does not get writers burn out.

I like the characters with their various backgrounds. I also like the twists the author takes with concepts of life, death, fantasy, etc. But I can't help but feel incredibly irritated with the constant modern slang that completely smothers the english language in these books. These characters are supposed to be timeless creatures and yet they are chained in the realm of 21st century bastardized language.

This book was a little "much ado about nothing." In other words, it was a straight-up RIPOFF. The only thing that this book has to offer is a so-so short story. And, unfortunately, that's not worth the cost of the book. I pre-ordered mine from the store and totally regret it. Don't waste your money!

I absolutely loved this book! I had never read a compendium before and wondered if it was necessary...but I could barely put it down. The Bella/Zsadist story was so touching. Loved the interviews with the brothers...it was so sweet that all the books they had last read were to Nalla. But the interview the Brothers did with JR was hilarious...the back and forth between them makes your head spin...but in a totally good way! I can't wait for the next book...the sneak peek of Rehvenge looks like it'll be very good!

The book gave some details about some of the brotherhoods lives. More about there daily lives and some of the behind the scenes. None of them were enough to write a books about but things you'd like to know about the brothers and mates. It was interesting but not as good as the other books.

After reading the first six books, I saw that next up was this Insider's Guide. I went back and forth about getting it. On one hand, I'm a sucker for all things related to a series. On the other, I wasn't sure if it would be worth it. I thought it would be a good idea to check out the one star reviews to see just what they didn't like. Some said that it wasn't worth getting because the content is on J.R. Ward's website. This was good to know. Personally, I don't have a lot of time to sit on the computer and read blog posts, message boards, etc. so having it all in one place was a plus for me. And the novella on Zsadist and Bella? That alone had me wanting the book. I was just about to download this onto my Kindle when I read one last review -- the reviewer said that she had a hard time reading it because the content didn't transfer to the Kindle. Even on the largest font, it was unreadable. I am SO glad that I read that. There was no way I was going to waste my money buying something that I was going to struggle to read. So I purchased the paperback.

I LOVED IT! The novella was incredible. It was heartbreaking, sexy, romantic and satisfying. Z and Bella are one of my favorite couples and having more of them was worth every penny! And the rest? OMG - I could not get enough. Getting the behind the scenes viewpoint was priceless. I loved how Ms. Ward shared her thoughts and direction with us. One of the reviews I read criticized the amount of "writer's" information there was. Oh no! There really wasn't that much "advice" given. There was a bit but it was intertwined with how she created the series. I was fascinated. I especially loved the favorite quotes section. They made me laugh. And the interviews with the Brothers made me feel like a part of their family!

Absolutely fabulous book - worth every cent!

This book is a most have for any BDB fan. It had Father mine and 100 of pages Of information on the Brothers.

I especially loved the Dossiers and interviews with the Brothers and the Deleted scenes and extra scenes from the Brothers forum.

I read this one right before Lover at Last it was perfect!