I would consider myself to be a huge JR Ward fan. Since I first discovered the Black Dagger Brotherhood (and devouring the first six books in a week!), I've been a devoted reader and I anxiously look forward to each new instalment. Whereas the first eleven or so books in this series were mostly devoted to a single couple, there has started to be a trend where Ward releases a book revisiting a couple from the past and then a new couple then another book focusing on a previous couple. It's nice in theory. I loved these characters when I first read their happily ever afters and it's nice to see them again now in the future and just how happy their ever afters were. 
 I was excited to read The Beast. Rhage and Mary from Lover Eternal have been one of my favourite BDB couples. There was just something so fun and romantic about their meeting and falling in love which keeps me reading and rereading their book. I was curious as to how things went for them after everything the Scribe Virgin did for them and how they were dealing with the price. 
 But in so many ways The Beast is a bit of a filler book. The kind of book which doesn't really add much substance to the overall series and would probably have been better if it was just a couple of novellas instead. One focused on Rhage and Mary. Possibly one of Layla's storyline. 
 Why do I say this? 
 Because I felt like Rhage and Mary's plot was predictable. I loved how the novel started for them. Action and angst and all that delicious kind of stuff I read for. But after the initial scene I found my attention waning. The sexfests between them were red hot and love reading them but the whole dealing with Mary's infertility storyline was just boring to me. There were just no surprises at all. Not just in terms of how things ended with them but the whole flow was exactly what I was expecting. The Rhage and Mary part of the book took up the most pages but I really think the entire story could have been summed up in 50 pages. 
 Layla's story was fairly slow moving but did add some rather important things of note for the series as a whole. And I wanted her to have more interaction with a certain BOB leader. 
 There was a few points of interest with a new character I'd not read about before but her side of the story felt like a lot of pages with nothing much happening. I am interested to see just how her path intersects with the Brothers but I'm not convinced she needed this much screen time considering how much her part of things impacted on the plot as a whole. 
 The best part of this book for me was the Assail side of things and that did surprise me. Normally I kind of gloss over anything bits concerning him but I loved reading his emotional turmoil, how his addiction was plaguing him and a few other bits and pieces I don't want to spoil. I'm excited to see how his part in this book affects the future for the Brotherhood. 
 Overall, The Beast was a little slow moving and not what I was expected from a Black Dagger Brotherhood novel. I loved seeing how Rhage and Mary's relationship had matured since meeting and falling in love but it didn't deliver in terms of excitement and drama I was hoping for. There were a few things in this book which I think will be relevant in the future but I think I could sum up anything important in a five sentence paragraph. This book was a nice way to pass the time but not essential for the series as a whole (and yes, I do understand how arrogant that makes me seem considering I have no idea what comes next in the series yet). 
 (view spoiler)[ 
 After angsting all novel about not being able to have their own children, Mary and Rhage adopt Bitty - the daughter of the first mother/daughter family Mary dealt with at Safe House. 
 Layla gives birth to twins (a girl named after Blay's mother and a boy given a Brotherhood name) prematurely but it does seem like they will live. She also finds out Xcor is the son of Tohrment's father. 
 Some random human woman discovers that she is the full-blooded sister of Manny. She also seems to believe in vampires based on videos posted to youtube by high junkies. 
 Assail goes into rehab after rescuing a blood slave held captive for decades by one of the highborn vamps. He and Z get revenge. (hide spoiler)]